The Broken Miko
by Soldier's Requiem
Summary: After friends and family are dead, Kagome dies and is reborn in Konoha village; with some deadly secrets. She joins team seven and a new life begins for her. But what happens when Kagome's past returns for her? AU *DISCONTINUED**ADOPTED BY ShugoCharaAmu123*
1. Ch 1: New beginnings, Teams, and Tests

**New story is up. **

**Btw, my updates on stories will be slow because of high school. Because of homework, studying (yes, I actually want to be successful) especially in HS. **

**Warning: Some Sakura bashing. I'll see how it goes. **

**-AU so however the story goes, ****IT GOES LIKE THAT…**

Main Summary: After friends and family are killed, Kagome dies and is reborn into the Naruto world; but with some deadly secrets. She attends the Ninja academy and joins team 7 as a new life begins for her. But what happens when everything from Kagome's past returns for her…? AU

Paring: Sasuke/Kagome

**Chapter 1**

"_MIROKU! SANGO! SHIPPO!" Kagome cried, watching her friends in the battlefield. The adrenaline rushing through her veins urged her to run fast as she watched them being sucked by Miroku's wind tunnel._

_Her left shoulder that Naraku's tentacle inflicted upon bled heavily, it had pierced near her heart and the feeling of it was indescribably painful. The wound was fatal and she would die soon, but she somehow she had willed herself to rush to her friends and help them somehow. _

_Sango and Shippo had latched on at Miroku's waist together just as the cursed hole in his hand abruptly grew larger under Naraku's control, as he stood a far distance away with Kagura and Kanna watching the scene with glee. He chuckled darkly at Kagome's failed attempt to reach them. _

_The vortex ceased to suck everything in and all three of their echoing screams silenced; leaving nothing but a giant bottomless hole in the ground. _

_Kagome collapsed next to the edge, her hands clenching the ground gripping some sand between her knuckles. _

"_No…NO!" Kagome cried out with the tears flying everywhere, her head hung low. Naraku just continued to chuckly darkly, turning his head to the side. _

_His eyes widened when some arms grabbed him from behind. _

_Kikyo, the undead priestess who was wounded and battered, had taken the chance from before to sneak up behind him and trap him by stunning him with purification. _

"_You're time has come, Naraku." Kikyo spoke out, determined. From beneath them both, a red portal opened and started sucking them in, Kagura and Kanna jumping away together._

_Kagome watched them both sink into the ground, Kikyo's intention of bringing him to Hell with her. Just as they were halfway down, Inuyasha rushed from behind and towards them. Kagome reached out a hand, calling out for him. _

_Only their heads were above ground and Inuyasha jumped, Kagome trailing behind him. Just as Inuyasha latched onto Kikyo, they were all sucked into the ground, the portal shut. _

_Kagome had jumped earlier and her face landed on nothing but dirt, painfully. _

_She shook off her head and stared at the ground in disbelief. _

'_No…no…' She kept thinking. This wasn't supposed to happen. This was NOT supposed to HAPPEN!_

_Inuyasha promised he'd protect her. She promised to stay by his side, and she did. Above all, Inuyasha promised to NEVER leave her no matter what…_

_He had broken that promise._

"_No…." She croaked out, heartbroken. Her fists clenched and she slammed them down frustratingly. She was mad. _

_Mad at Naraku….mad at Kikyo…_

_But she felt betrayed that Inuyasha had broken his promise and left her there, alone. _

_That traitor. _

_Kagome's fists clenched the soil beneath her, some blood drawing from her palms. She gritted her teeth, hissing out the same dreaded word Kikyo had said long before her turn. _

"_Traitor…" it was quiet the first time. Then she drew her head back and howled it louder in anguish and rage. _

_A bright light emitted from the whole Shikon jewel, engulfing the girl in a vibrant sphere. _

"_TRAITOR!" Her voice echoed and she collapsed forward onto the ground, her heart beat gone. _

_And the rest was forgotten._

Present 

It had been almost 12 years since then.

Kagome shook her head at the memory, continuing her jump from roof to roof.

Kilala was on her shoulder holding on as she flew in the air at semi-supersonic speed. Her eyes shut tightly as the wind beat against her cute little eyes.

She mewled in protest, making the girl slow down just a bit.

"Sorry Kilala."

Kagome stopped on one of the tall buildings, staring at the graffiti that covered in weird shapes on the engraved faces of the Hokage on the mountain. Kagome instantly knew who did that.

She rose up a hand and scratched her head with a finger in the awkwardness of seeing that the person had gave one of the male faces some feminine eyelashes.

This was the second time this had happened since ninja graduation. This could only mean one person.

Naruto Uzumaki.

Kagome sighed and continued her pace over the buildings, wanting to get a seat at class before any of the other students could show up and take them all. She landed outside the front doors, and tried opening it.

It was locked.

She mumbled something incoherent before sliding against the wall of the building. Kilala jumped off her shoulder and ran towards the swing that hung from the tree farther away.

Kilala jumped on it, which caused the swing to rock slowly. Kilala sat on her hind legs and mewed happily every few strokes. Kagome couldn't resist the small smile watching the cuteness.

She took out a book from her holster and continued to read from where she placed her bookmark.

Later in the day, Sasuke Uchiha walked in the streets, wearing his high collared blue t-shirt that had his clan's symbol on the back, gray arm guards, and white shorts with blue ninja sandals, his hands in his pockets.

He came towards the ninja academy and stopped, staring at the kitten on the swing nearby.

The neko stared at him for a long moment, and ran inside the open door of the building.

Sasuke followed inside, through the hall down to his classroom. He stepped in and looked at the desks below. It seemed he wasn't the only one in the classroom.

He felt his mood lift when seeing his class interest, Kagome Higurashi.

He went down the stairs** (1)** and took a seat at the end of the row next to her, assuming his position with sitting up with his hands folded in front of him. He glanced at the corner of his eye to the girl next to him, taking in her petite form.

She was wearing a dark black v-neck long-sleeve shirt with a silver crescent moon on the back of it, indicating her clan's symbol, and black cargo pants. On her arms she had long black fingerless gloves(arm warmers) that started from her elbow, and only revealed her fingers at the end; along with black ninja shoes **(2)** on her feet. Wrapped around her upper right arm was the headband and it showed the metal plate with the Konoha symbol on it.

Sasuke felt some heat rising on his face just staring at her. He mentally thanked that they were the only two in there at the moment. "Ohayoo gozaimasu** (3) **Kagome-chan." Kagome shifted her face over to the boy, and just nodded.

Kilala jumped out of nowhere and landed on Sasuke's head, bringing slight discomfort and annoyance to the boy. It shook off quickly when the cat jumped off him and ran towards Kagome on the table, purring as it was petted by the girl.

A few more students entered, some were Kagome fan club men and they had hearts floating around them, staring at the girl as whispers were heard.

"There's Kagome-chan!"

"Kagome is so hot!"

Sasuke felt some of his anger rise up, knowing that they kept staring at her. Kagome didn't really care, but Sasuke…he felt some protectiveness come over him and he hunched over slightly.

The feelings disappeared when some girls came in and squealed, making him wince at the high pitch screech.

Kilala mewed painfully at the sound invading her sensitive ears.

* * *

"I'M FIRST!" Two girls shouted out as they burst in the room at the same time.

One girl had waist-long blond hair tied in a ponytail with the exception of a long bang hanging out the right side of her face. She was wearing a purple vest-like shirt with a raised collar, a short skirt that reached down to her thighs with bandages around her stomach and legs, the headband hanging around the waist. Her eyes solid baby blue.

The other girl had long pink hair that went just below her shoulders that framed her face with her headband tied above. She wore a red qipao dress with dark green shorts and brown ninja shoes. Her eyes were pure jade with black pupils.

They started bickering at each other.

"I win again Sakura!"

"AS if! I had to look behind just to see you!"

"Get over it, billboard brow!"

"Ino-pig!"

The blonde was Ino Yamanaka and the pink-haired girl was Sakura Haruno.

Naruto stepped in the room, dressed in his white t-shirt which was beneath his orange jacket and pants with green ninja shoes, and glanced at the girls with interest.

He smiled dreamily at seeing Sakura, his crush, just a few feet away. He walked up and gave one of his flashing grins. "Hi Sakura!" She glared at him and yelled, "Go away Naruto!" before continuing her bickering with Ino.

He sighed and looked at the room. There weren't many seats left. He took a random seat anywhere and laid his chin on it, sighing. He glanced to his side and his head shot up, seeing who was next to him.

The coolest, most mysterious, and hottest girl in the whole class: Kagome Higurashi, was sitting right next to him.

He didn't have a crush on her, but she looked too pretty for him to take his eyes off of her.

He felt the glares of many men at the back of his head, and felt some nervousness come over him, afraid this higher ranking ninjas were going to beat him up.

Disregarding that he shot up from his seat facing Kagome, shouting, "Hi Kagome-chan! I'm Naruto Uzumaki! It's nice to meet you!" hoping she would be his friend. His hand flung up a little too close for comfort near her.

She blinked a few times seeing that her book was no longer in her hand.

Naruto eye twitched fearfully, his only thought thinking that this girl was going to scream and kill him.

The book had landed at the far end of the table, near Sasuke's foot. "Hn?" he noticed the book next to his foot and picked it up. He scanned the cover and turned his head towards Kagome who was standing in front of him, with a hand held out.

He turned slightly and held it out for her to take it. She nodded indicating 'thank you' and her hand grabbed the book. A small pause came as her hand held the book, both their hands held it on either side.

Naruto chuckled nervously. "Sorry about that. I just kinda excited…." He started.

He flung his arms behind his head, causing to accidentally hit Kagome in the back without realization and made her fall forwards, before continuing,

"Like I was saying, I—" he stopped as he opened his eyes, and stared at the scene before him.

Everyone stopped their talking at the most unbelievable sight before their eyes.

All the girls had wide, pupil-less shocked eyes with those stressed rims around them as they bulged from their sockets, as all the men were staring almost the same way, with their jaws dropped.

"Uh…uh…." Naruto stammered out his vibrant blue eyes were slightly widened but yet somewhat amused.

Kagome and Sasuke were lip-locked, both had bewildered expressions. Sasuke's arms held Kagome's waist as she had fallen over him by accident, making it look like they were kissing.

All of the boys fainted over out of shock and the girls…they let out a scream so loud, it nearly broke the large window in the classroom.

"NOOOOO!" All the girls screamed out in their own absolute horror.

Sakura's face was twisted with rage. '_NOOOO! __**I **__WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SASUKE'S FIRST KISS! THAT BITCH WILL PAY FOR THAT!' _Inner Sakura thought, punching her fists together.

Kagome pulled away and slumped back in her seat, Sasuke still stiff as a rock. Sasuke had a huge blush on his cheeks. Kagome had a blush too, but it was more of an angry and embarrassed one.

She grabbed her book and quickly opened it to a random page, Sasuke shifting back to his position as if nothing had happened.

Both still had faded blushes on their cheeks as they held their expressionless faces.

Naruto felt something. '_Danger…' _He turned around and his eyes showed complete fear, seeing the glares of many fangirls with twisted, enraged faces.

It was his fault that incident happened after all.

**"NARUTO!" **Sakura shouted, her tone of voice darker than usual. Naruto's face twitched, only thinking, '_I'M SO DEAD!'_

Iruka walked back into the room, a clipboard in his hands. He faced the classroom. He blinked seeing the battered Naruto at his desk, but said nothing.

Kilala mewed curiously at the boy, her tail twitching a few times.

Iruka looked at the clipboard, saying, "All right everyone. At his moment you are genin, beginner ninjas. Today you will be assigned to Ninja squads, which will be lead by a jonin, elite ninjas."

Naruto's head raised up, along with Sakura's. They were both thinking the same thing.

'_Only a three-man squad?'_

Naruto only prayed he didn't get pitted with Sasuke, while Sakura thought the opposite of that.

She gave a glare at Kagome who sat a seat past Naruto, who continued to read her book. '_How dare she kiss Sasuke….she WILL pay for that.' _Her thought chanted in her head continuously.

The first six teams were chosen quickly.

Sakura had her fingers crossed underneath her desk, Naruto had his eyes closed with a cheek against the palm of his hand boredly, Sasuke continued to sit there and Kagome kept reading her book.

"Team 7 will consist of Naruto Uzumaki…." Naruto's head shot up.

"….Sakura Haruno…" Naruto sat up from his spot and cheered as Sakura slumped down in her seat in hopelessness.

"…..Sasuke Uchiha…" Then their roles were switched. Sakura stared at Sasuke at the end of the table with hearts in her eyes.

Sasuke's expression slightly dropped. '_Great...'_

"…..and Kagome Higurashi." Iruka finished, slightly agitated by Sakura and Naruto's interruption.

Sakura sat up with her hands slamming down on her desk, screaming in disbelief, "WHAT!"

Sasuke's face lightened up. '_Arigato, Kami-sama…' _Sasuke mentally thanked whatever god existed out there and answered his prayer.

Naruto shot up from his seat and pointed at Sasuke, "Iruka-sensei! Why do I have to be in the same team as that slug Sasuke?". Iruka looked up from his clipboard. Sakura also did the same thing, pointing at Kagome, "Why do I have to be in the same team with this thing! I thought this was supposed to be a three man squad!"

Sasuke's head turned slightly, giving a death glare to the pink-haired girl who called his interest a 'thing' like worthless trash. As if she was any better.

Iruka's eye twitched. "Sakura and Naruto SHUT UP! There was uneven amount of graduating students in the class and one team had to be a four man squad!"

Naruto and Sakura slumped in their seats in defeat.

Iruka continued, "We had to make the rankings equal, and in order to do that, we had to put the best students with the worst. Naruto, your test scores were the lowest and Sakura your jutsu's were the worst I have ever seen."

A majority of the guys laughed at Naruto, and all the girls snickered or laughed at Sakura. Sakura felt the humiliation, and the shame at the thought that Sasuke had heard.

"Sasuke and Kagome's scores were the best in the class. It's that simple." Iruka finished gruffly and read over the list again, scanning for where he had left off before the interruption.

Sakura shot daggers at Kagome, in the most murderous way she could muster. '_She's no better than me! Just because she's the top student doesn't mean Sasuke will like her! He only likes me, so take that Higurashi! CHA'! _Inner Sakura thought with content.

Kagome turned her head slightly, and gave Hinata Hyuuga a sympathized look knowing she wanted to be in the same team as Naruto.

The purple haired girl caught her glance and nodded with a small smile, meaning she would get over it.

After the rest of the teams were chosen, Iruka dismissed them for lunch and left them. Most kids rushed out the room, as some just walked out.

Kagome stood and shut her book. She leapt over the desks and walked out of the room regaining her composure. Sasuke followed after her.

* * *

Sakura searched around for the Uchiha, calling out his name several times.

She cupped her hands over her mouth and called out again, this time much louder. "Sasuke-kun! Where are YOU!"

Sakura was disappointed when she received no answer. Her head dropped. "I wonder where he went….I was hoping to have lunch with him."

Naruto came up from behind her and piped, "Hey, Sakura! Want to go get some ramen together?"

Sakura spun around and spat, "No way! Why would I go have lunch with someone like _you_! Now go away!" and continued her search.

Naruto's expression dropped at his crush rejecting him. Naruto slumped his shoulders down and walked the other way.

Naruto sat at a park bench and thought, '_Why does Sakura-chan like Sasuke so much…I don't get it! He's nothing but a jerk!'_

CRUNCH!

Naruto's ears twitched and he looked up at the nearest tree across from where he sat.

Kagome was sitting in a branch; one leg dangling off the side as the other was bent, supporting the arm that held a half-eaten apple. Her other hand held up a book in front of her.

She took another bite out of an apple she had.

CRUNCH!

Naruto had wondered why he hadn't seen her before. He walked underneath it and waved.

"Heeey!" he called out. He smiled when he saw her looked down at him. He rubbed the back of his head. "I was wondering, Kagome-chan…want to go get some ramen with me?"

Kagome just stared at him. Naruto's smile dropped at the thought she might reject him.

"I don't eat ramen." Kagome responded plainly and continued to read her book.

Sasuke walked out of nowhere and watched the scene from nearby.

Naruto's arms were flailing like mad as he yelled out, "WHAT? How could you not like RAMEN!"

Kagome didn't look up from the book and just bit into her apple again.

A mew sound was heard and Naruto's head was pounced upon a tan neko whose ears, paws, and the tips of its tails were burgundy black.

"Hey!" Naruto cried out as the cat tickled his head while trying to cuddle in his spiky blond hair.

'_Hn…'_Sasuke amused at the scene.

Kilala spotted her master and mewled, jumping from his head into the tree next to her, and rubbed against her arm affectionately.

Naruto scratched his head. "Anyway. Why don't you like ramen? Just wondering." Naruto asked again.

She didn't respond. Kagome had turned her head slightly away from him.

Naruto blinked a few times before he shrugged and walked off, towards the city for some ramen.

Now only Sasuke was there, staring at Kagome intently. Kilala jumped from the tree and left out of boredom.

He walked and looked up the tree. Kagome sighed. "Is there something you want to ask me?" she replied plainly.

Sasuke looked away, slight blush on his cheeks. "Hn."

Kagome jumped down the tree, and landed in front of him with her arms crossed. "Is that all you can say?" It was so repetitive of him.

Sasuke turned his head back.

Kagome just 'keh'd and started to walk away, just before a hand grabbed her wrist making her stop. "Iie, stay." Kagome shook her head and sat on the bench. Sasuke sat next to her wordlessly.

Silence.

Sasuke turned his head. He felt some sort of feeling coming off of this girl.

It was almost a sinister feeling. Her emotions he felt it….she was sad. But there was something about her he didn't know. Something….

Dark?

Sasuke shot out of his trance and looked around as the wind blew in the eerie silence.

She was gone.

'_What just happened?'_

_

* * *

_

"He's LATE!" Naruto peeked his head out the classroom door in the front, groaning.

Sakura leaned against the front of a desk tapping her fingers in an irritated way, and Sasuke sat in a seat near the window.

Kagome was leaning against a dark corner near the door, arms crossed with her head hung low, and one leg propped against the wall; making her appearance look mysterious and secluded.

Sasuke never took an eye off Kagome the whole time.

Sakura jumped up seeing Naruto put an eraser between the doors and walked over. "Naruto! What are you doing! You're going to get us in trouble!" she scolded at his childish antic.

Sasuke gave a small glance in their direction.

"Naruto, you're so immature." Kagome spoke up.

They all looked her way. She continued with her eyes closed, not had looked up even though she knew what he was doing. "Do you really think that's the smartest idea ever?"

Sakura put her hands on her hips. "Who asked YOU?" she sneered out. Sasuke intervened, "She's right. This guy is a jonin. An elite ninja. Do you really think THAT will work on him?"

Sakura's expression turned bubbly, and she was squealing, "You're so smart Sasuke-kun!" Kagome rolled her eyes even though they were shut. She was really getting tired of that.

The three watched as the door slid open. Kagome opened one eye, lifting her head up slightly to watch.

She raised an eyebrow rose seeing that the eraser had successfully hit the jonin's white-gray hair, landing on the ground next to him.

Naruto laughed and pointed at him in a childish manner. Sakura was trying to sell him out by saying she never would do anything like that, even though Inner Sakura was cheering '_PERFECT SHOT!'_

Sasuke and Kagome were both thinking with disappointment, _'Is this guy really a jonin?' _

The jonin picked up the eraser and stared at it. He glanced at the other three, and to the girl in the corner.

'_Kagome's here…hm….she probably doesn't even remember me…' _he thought to himself. Kagome just stared at him as some random guy who so stupidly got hit by something.

He glanced at the other three. He said calmly placing a hand under his chin, "Let's see….how should I put this…." Naruto and Sakura had smiles on their faces. Sasuke and Kagome just looked at him with a bored expression.

"My first impression of you all….you're a bunch of idiots."

Everyone's face fell. A sweatdrop slid down Kagome's temple.

Kakashi said, "Everyone, meet up at the roof." and poofed out.

Kagome walked from her spot and to the window, jumping out and landing on the roof. The others had taken the long way up: the stairs.

Kakashi sat on the railing and the others sat on the steps. Kagome sat on one end of the row, Sasuke choosing to sit next to Kagome and Naruto sat next to him, with Sakura on the other end.

Sakura was envying Kagome for sitting next to 'her' Sasuke. Kagome was just staring off to the side, her arm resting up on her knee.

Kakashi began. "Alright. You guys all introduce yourselves."

Sakura blinked. "Like…what are we supposed to say?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't know. Your name…likes…dislikes…hobbies…future dreams possibly?" he crossed his arms again, not really caring what they say.

"Tell us first." Naruto said back, still a bit confused. Sakura nodded in agreement.

Kagome ignored the situation even though she was listening.

"My name is Kakashi Hatake….my likes and dislikes…" he looked at all of them. "I don't really feel like telling you. My hobbies…I have a few….and my future dreams…" he glanced upwards, thoughtfully. "Haven't really thought about it."

Sakura and Naruto just stared at him blankly, as the girl muttered, "What the hell, we only learned his name…." Naruto nodded agreeably and mumbled something else.

Kagome glanced back at Kakashi.

'_Why do I feel like I've seen him somewhere before?'_

Kakashi glanced at Naruto with his visible eye. "Alright. You first." Naruto smiled and fixed his headband.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki! I like ramen, but I don't like when I have to wait three minutes after you pour the hot water in. I love comparing different types of ramen. My future dream is to become the greatest Hokage ever!" He finished proudly with a fist in the air.

Kakashi stared at him boredly. _'I'm not even sure how much he eats a day…' _He glanced at the next person. "Next."

Sakura smiled with a blush and started, "My name is Sakura Haruno. What I like is…uh…" she glanced at Sasuke, who looked uninterested as usual.

"I-I mean who I like is….my hobbies are…" she brought her knuckles up to her face, smiling from underneath them. "My dream for the future…..is…" she didn't finish because she looked at Sasuke once more and squealed.

Kagome rubbed a finger against her temple, trying to relieve some stress from the squeal penetrating her head. _'I don't even want to know what she thinks…' _she thought and rolled her eyes.

'_I'm not even going to ask her what she hates…'_a sweat formed at the side of the jonin's head. He glanced at Sasuke. "Your turn."

Kagome nearly choked on her lunch hearing Sakura's giggle.

Sasuke glanced at Kagome for a second before starting lowly, "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I don't particularly like anything."

'_Besides Kagome.' _He added mentally.

Sakura was disappointed after hearing that. "I hate a lot of things. What I have is not a dream, but an ambition: to kill a certain someone and revive my clan." He finished darkly.

Naruto's eye twitched nervously at the feeling it was him, Sakura thought how cool he was. Kakashi looked uninterested, but he was thinking, _'I see….'_

Kagome had listened to the whole thing. _'Itachi Uchiha. No doubt.' _Kakashi glanced at Kagome.

"Last one." Sasuke made sure he listened intently; Naruto leaned over where he sat to look at the girl.

Kagome closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and exhaled before beginning.

"My name is Kagome Higurashi. My likes and dislikes….are none of your business. My hobbies are for you to figure out."

They all stared at her in slight amusement, minus Sakura.

"I have no dreams in particular. But…." Her voice faltered a bit, she clenched a fist. Which everyone noticed.

"My main goal is to take revenge on a certain man for what he _did(*)._" She finished her sentence, her tone sounding more menacing than when Sasuke's voice lowered.

Naruto was quite surprised. Sasuke was also curious, but it was not written on his face.

Sakura glared at the girl. _'Humph. Trying to act cool for my Sasuke-kun!" _Kakashi didn't know what Kagome was talking about.

'_Let me see…I have a ramen freak, a fangirl, and two bloodthirsty avengers. This might be my most interesting group yet….' _He thought to himself, looking at each and every one of them.

"All right. I can see you are all….interesting in your own way. Our first mission will be tomorrow."

"What kind of mission!" Naruto asked, hardly containing his excitement. Kakashi continued, "It's a mission all of us will do, TOGETHER."

"Like…?" Sakura pressed out, trying to get a straight-forward answer.

"A survival exercise." Naruto's face turned to confusion, along with Sakura who raised an eyebrow.

She pointed out trying to impress Sasuke with her knowledge, "But we already did survival exercises back at the academy. Why would we need to do them again?"

"This isn't like before." Kakashi replied simply. Naruto spoke up curiously, "Then…what is it?" not following what he was talking about.

The next thing that happened was out of the blue. Kakashi started chuckling. But it was too deep, dark and humorless. Sakura furrowed her eyebrows, not seeing anything funny.

"What's so funny?"

"If I told you, you won't like it." Kakashi smiled beneath his mask.

Kagome glared at him. "Try us." She called out in a challenging way.

Kakashi looked over at her in brief shock, before answering,

"Out of the 27 graduates, only 9 will actually become ninjas. The other 18 will be sent back to the academy and will be waited out. The chances that you will fail is at least 66%"

Naruto's face turned to total disbelief, Sakura looked as if she was going to be sick. Sasuke's eye's narrowed darkly as Kagome's widened harshly.

Kakashi laughed again at their expressions in an amused way. "See? I told said you wouldn't like it." Pointing out to their expressions.

Naruto flailed his arms, screaming, "WHAT? That's crazy! I thought we were supposed to be ninjas after we graduate! What's the whole point of leaving if we're only going to be sent back!"

"Your graduation test was to evaluate ninjas who might become ninjas or not. To pass as a real ninja you have to pass a test under a jonin, who has more experience in the ninja world. Because of this, those who pass will be better ready for real ninja missions."

Everyone's face was determined. Sakura glanced at Sasuke. _'I can't fail! If I do I will be separated from Sasuke and will only be with that Higurashi bitch! This is a trial of love!_ She gave a glare again at the raven haired girl.

Sasuke clenched his fists. _'I won't fail. I will surpass Itachi. I don't think I could bear the thought of being away from Kagome than I already am…' _he thought to himself, glancing at the girl sitting next to him.

Kagome's eyes turned dark. _'I need to pass. I have to get stronger and kill **him**. I will not be weak this time! I won't let anyone protect me anymore!'_ her fists clenched, almost drawing some blood.

Kakashi stood and waved them off. "First mission begins tomorrow at the training grounds, 5 am. Bring your ninja gear. Also…don't eat breakfast."

His eyes closed to an upside down 'U'. "You might barf."

And with that said, he poofed away.

Sakura grabbed onto Sasuke's arm, squealing. "Come on Sasuke! Let's go train together for tomorrow!"

"Let go of me, Sakura!" he growled out, throwing her off his arm. Sakura lowered her eyes in defeat.

"Where's Kagome?" A voice asked. Sasuke looked back at Naruto, who was staring at the spot Kagome once was at before. Sakura smirked.

"What did you do dobe **(4)**? Did you scare her off?" Sasuke asked, his tone mocking. Naruto fumed and pointed a finger at him, "Shut up, teme **(5)**!"

"DON'T CALL SASUKE-KUN THAT NARUTO!" Sakura screeched out and hit him on the head, causing him to whine. Sasuke rolled his eyes and left unnoticed.

* * *

Kagome sat in the middle of the training grounds as she meditated with her arms crossed, eyes closed. She looked like she was concentrating even though she was relaxed.

A shadow loomed over her figure. Sensing it, Kagome opened an eye only to see Sasuke standing a few feet in front of her, looking down on her.

"What are you doing?"

"Keh. What does it look like I'm doing. I'm meditating." She replied sarcastically, shutting her eye once more.

Sasuke kneeled in front of her and stared at her. "I thought you'd be at your home by then."

Kagome uncrossed her arms and looked at him right in the eye. Kagome and Sasuke's eyes were locked, and for some reason they both couldn't look away from each other…

Kagome hid a blush with a scoff and shot up, before walking away. Sasuke, not giving up, followed right beside her.

Kagome turned her head the other direction. "Why are you following me. You never care much for girls." She snapped. Well, it was true. Sasuke never willingly talked to a girl before.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted out, as they walked back to the town together. None of them spoke a word the entire time.

Sasuke followed her until they reached a small, and secluded building from the town. The house wasn't too small yet not too big, and it was only surrounded by grass and some trees.

"Bye." She replied plainly before leaving to the house, slamming the door behind her.

Sasuke stood in front of the house before walking away. '_So that's where she lives…' _Sasuke smirked.

Kagome opened the door in her room and slammed it behind her.

Her room was small, a closet to the side with a window next to it, a bed near the corner and a dresser with stuff and three picture frames on top of it. The wall had no color, it was white.

Further looking into it, the drapes that covered the window were slightly torn, dresser slightly dusty from lack of cleaning.

But on the walls, there were scratches, not just little but large scratches. Some were small; some were longer and jagged. It didn't look like Kilala's claws in her larger form could scratch the wall this big.

Kagome flopped down on her bed, face in her pillow. She sighed into it and rolled onto her back with her arms spread out, staring at the ceiling.

Kilala walked out from her spot under the bed and jumped on her stomach, mewing.

Kagome petted the kitten, still staring at the ceiling blankly. She turned her head over to the side where her dresser was.

She got off the bed, Kilala jumping on the floor, and walked over to it. She took a picture frame in hand, gazing at the picture.

It was a picture of her with her mom, grandfather, and little brother in front of the shrine she used to live in.

It showed her mom with a happy smile, her arm around Kagome and Souta's shoulder, Kagome having her arm laid across Souta's head and her other hand out in front of her with a peace sign. Souta's hand laid on his mother's arm as the other made the same peace sign Kagome had. Her grandpa was next to them all, showing one of his old artifacts in the air with a smile.

One big happy family. Or used to be.

Kagome sadly put it back and looked at another picture. It had her friends on it.

Sango dressed in her regular kimono held the Hirakotsu behind her arm over her shoulder gripping the handle with Kilala laid over her head, her other arm holding Shippo as he used both his hands to stretch his mouth sticking his tongue out in a silly way. Miroku was right next to Sango with a red handprint on his face with a goofy smile, one hand held his cheek as the other was waving. Inuyasha stood next to them all, arms crossed not even looking at the camera as he looked the other direction with his grouchy face.

She slowly put the picture back down. She grazed her hand across the board before her hand trailed to a heart-locket necklace. She picked it up by the locket, and opened it up staring at the pictures inside.

On each side it showed pictures of Kagome and Inuyasha's angry faces when they fought over the silliest things. She still wondered how she was able to get a picture of those.

She felt overwhelmed with the emotions returning. She gazed at another photo frame. It was a picture of her and Inuyasha.

Kagome was on Inuyasha's back, her hands on his ears as he held her, he was annoyed but he had a smile on his face. Shippo and Miroku were hiding in the bushes with smirks on their faces. She knew what happened afterwards. They both ended up with bumps on their head.

She looked up to the ceiling, shaking her head and smiled at the memory. She gazed back at her and Inuyasha in the picture. Then at Inuyasha.

Then, her smile disappeared and her mood dropped abruptly.

She felt the anger return as she continued to stare at Inuyasha in the picture with a smile. After she made him happy…he just…

She threw her necklace against the floor carelessly.

She gasped and clutched her head, feeling a piercing pain shooting through her skull.

She collapsed to her knees still clutching her head, shaking at the pain of her head pound violently. Kilala mewed and backed away, knowing she could not do anything to help her.

'_Not this again….' _Kagome thought. Her teeth gritted as it got worse and worse. She stood up and punched the wall next to her.

She punched it again and again until some blood drew from her knuckles.

Her nails grew longer and she lashed out, scratching against the walls.

The rampage went on for what seemed like hours, and then stood in the middle of her room, panting.

Her shoulders heaved each time she breathed in deep breaths. She rose up her now bloody and nearly broken knuckles, and stared at them. Her nails retreated back to normal.

She felt her mind get hazy and her vision was blurring. _'Why does this happen to me….'_ Kagome thought weakly, her eyes rolling to the back of her head and she collapsed on the floor, unconscious.

Kilala came out from under the bed and ran over to her master, mewing in distressfully and placing a paw against her face.

She mewed sadly when she got no response and transformed into her larger form.

Kagome was now resting against Kilala like a pillow as the overgrown neko hoped to provide some comfort and lowered her head, growling sadly before falling asleep in the middle of the room with Kagome.

Very early in the morning, Kagome felt her consciousness returning to her. Recalling yesterday's event she slit her eyes open and looked around.

She was still in her room.

She realized she was lying against something warm and soft. Like a large pillow….and it was licking her cheek?

She opened her eyes fully and saw Kilala's face next to hers, licking her cheek affectionately. She noted that Kilala was in her large form.

Kilala had let her use her as a pillow as she had fallen unconscious through the night.

Kagome slightly smiled gratefully, and petted the neko-turned-saber-toothed on the head receiving a content growl. "Thanks Kilala." She said and Kilala licked her cheek again.

Kagome sat up and looked at the ground. A very small puddle was around her and her knuckles were still slightly bleeding.

Kagome got up and ran to her bathroom, taking out some bandages and wrapping them around her knuckles. Kagome opened the door, cautious about her hand, and looked out the window.

It was well after 5 am.

She cursed to herself and ran to the bathroom to get ready, dressing in tight black capris with matching t-shirt underneath a black hoodie and tennis shoes, before leaving the house in a hurry.

* * *

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke sat in the middle of the training grounds, obviously waiting for Kakashi to show up.

Sasuke had walked in well-rested, Sakura was still tired, and Naruto…well…it had looked like he sleepwalked in.

It was already one hour after 5 am. Sasuke couldn't help but wonder where Kagome was. Sakura was trying to talk to him and he purposely ignored her, not interested.

Naruto, still half-asleep, yawned out "W-Where's Kakashi…and Kagome..?" before dropping his head to his chest, almost asleep again.

Sasuke nodded, wondering where they were as well.

Sasuke saw something approach from the side, and turned his head. He thought it was Kakashi at first, but as he looked closer he felt relieved when he saw it was Kagome.

Kagome sighed and looked up. Sasuke was staring in her direction, Sakura trying to get Sasuke's attention and then glared when she saw her. Naruto looked like he was asleep.

Not wanting her hands to be shown, she crossed them behind her back in a normal manner and walked over to them. "Ohayoo gozaimasu." She greeted.

Naruto jumped up at the sound of her voice and smiled at her, tackling her to the ground in a fierce hug.

Kagome bit her lip as she landed on her hands, suppressing a cry of pain.

"I thought you'd never come Kagome! I didn't want to be stuck here with that teme!" referring to Sasuke, Sakura glared at the blonde once more.

"Great, now please get off." She choked out, whether it was because he knocked the wind out of her or she was still trying to suppress a scream.

Naruto shot up and apologized before returning to Sakura's side, much to the pinky's enjoyment.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow seeing that Kagome kept her hands behind her back the whole time.

He walked over to her and asked, "Why are you hiding your hands behind your back?"

Kagome shifted back nervously. "I'm not hiding them. Really." She replied quietly. Sasuke took another step forward not believing her and said, "Then show me your hands."

Kagome shook her head slightly and gazed at the ground.

She was shocked when Sasuke had grabbed her arms and forced her hands out in front of her.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he looked at her bandaged hands.

"What happened?"

Naruto and Sakura's attention immediately went to both of them; Naruto noticing Kagome's wounded hands as Sakura fumed at the sight of Sasuke holding the girl's hands.

'_WHY IS HE HOLDING __**HER **__HANDS? WHY NOT MINE! _Sakura thought enraged. Sasuke never made contact with any girls, let alone talk to them; and now out of nowhere Sasuke starts touching this girl's hands and looked…worried?

'_NO NO NO! SASUKE-KUN IS MINE! _She walked over, trying to put a stop to it.

She walked up next to Sasuke and hissed, "She looks fine to me. So let go of her hands." She yanked Kagome's hands away from 'her' Sasuke-kun's.

As soon as Sakura's hands made contact, Kagome hunched over and hissed in pain, drawing them back.

Sakura smirked but then was gone when Sasuke took Kagome's hands back more gently.

Sasuke held her hands with tender care, not wanting to hurt her more than Sakura already did. He ran a finger over some blood that seeped through the bandages, a hint of worry etched his face.

Kagome tried pulling her hands back but Sasuke just held on, not letting her leave his strong yet tender grip.

"What happened to your hands?" Sasuke repeated, this time more forcefully.

Kagome looked away. She came up with an excuse quickly. "I smashed my hands against the door, that's all."

Sakura and Naruto shrugged. Sasuke, however, wasn't buying it. But let it slide by for now.

Naruto was now fully awake and trying to get Sakura's attention but she ignored him and kept on giving Kagome dirty looks, seeing her sitting against a tree reading a book with Sasuke next to her.

Kakashi had arrived about three hours later. "Yo." He called out walking towards them.

Sakura and Naruto pointed at him, yelling, "YOU'RE LATE!"

"Well, a black cat crossed my path, so I had to take the longer way." He tried making an excuse.

Of course, no one bought it.

He nervously scratched his head. "Well…let's get started then." Subject change. He walked over to three wooden poles and placed a timer over one of them.

"This timer is set for noon." He took out something from his pocket and held it out. "You will have until then to retrieve these bells from me." He waved the said items around, making a jingle sound.

"If you don't get these bells from me. You will all be tied to those poles—" he pointed in the direction of them. "—and be forced to watch me eat lunch in front of you."

As if on cue, everyone's stomach's growled. _'So that's why he told us not to eat breakfast…' _everyone thought.

Noticing, Sakura pointed out, "But there are only three bells in your hand. How does that work?"

Indeed, he did hold three bells in his hand.

He smiled under his mask and replied, "That is because one of you will be tied to a post and will fail this test. Also….if you are not prepared to kill me…."

He tossed them in the air and snatched them. "Then you will not be able to obtain them."

"But sensei! With our weapons we will really kill you! It's too dangerous!" Sakura cried out.

"Hah."

Everyone averted their attention to Kagome. Her arms were crossed as she was looking to the side. "As if genin like us could actually kill a jonin like him. Especially YOU of all people."

Naruto snickered loudly and Sasuke couldn't hold back a small smile; which did not go unnoticed by Kakashi. He stroked his chin thoughtfully,

'_So…the mysterious dark Uchiha likes Kagome….interesting…'_

"Listen here you-!" Sakura started but was stopped by Kakashi's warning. She shut her mouth.

"Alright. When I say 'start' you may come at me with everything you've got." Kakashi spoke up.

Naruto drew out a kunai and charged at him without even listening, causing the kunai to be switched around to the back of his head as his own hand still held it.

Kakashi had appeared behind him and stopped him at the nick of time.

Sakura and Sasuke had shock expressions on their faces; Kagome was slightly amused by what just happened. _'He's fast…' _She noted.

"I never said 'start'..." Kakashi pointed out. He released the boy who jumped away from him. Everyone backed up a few steps.

"Although I must say, you had the intention of destroying me even though we haven't started yet. I actually might start to like this group." Kakashi commented, making Naruto smile.

Everyone assumed in their positions, ready again. "Ready…." They crouched down.

"Start!"

Everyone jumped in separate directions into the trees and bushes around the area.

It was quiet about a few minutes later.

"All ninja must conceal their movements to keep themselves hidden by their enemies." Kakashi said, and was obviously observing if they actually done what he said. He was impressed when he could not hear nor see them.

All except for Naruto; who stood in the middle of the field with his arms crossed.

"You and me! Right now, one on one!" Naruto called out arrogantly.

Kakashi's expression dropped back to dull. "You know compared to the others, you're…..weird."

Naruto, annoyed, called out, "Oh yea? The only thing weird around here is your hairstyle!" and charged towards Kakashi again without any weapon in hand.

Which wasn't the smartest idea.

'_I see…' _Kakashi reached into his holster, which caused Naruto to stop in his tracks about a few yards away. Naruto stared intently at the hand in the jonin's pocket, ready for anything he might throw at him.

"Shinobi battle techniques, part one: Taijutsu. The physical part."

'_If this is physical, why is reaching for a weapon…?'_ Naruto thought to himself.

Kakashi had not taken out a weapon; instead he pulled out a book.

Icha Icha paradise.**(6) **

Naruto's face turned from serious to dumb. "What the-!" he shouted.

Kakashi glanced at him. "Well? What are you waiting for?" he called out to the dumb-struck boy before glancing down to his book again.

"Why are you reading that book!"

Kakashi didn't stop reading when he responded. "To find out what happens in the story of course. It won't matter whether you attack me or not." He replied simply.

Obviously being toyed with, Naruto retorted back angrily, "You're just like Kagome! You and her read books! It's like you guys are related or something!"

Kagome's eyebrow twitched a few times.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Naruto shouted angrily and charged at him, throwing a punch. Kakashi blocked the punch with a free hand, not taking his eyes off the book. Naruto threw some kicks and punches, which Kakashi dodged them all easily.

He ducked as another kick was thrown before disappearing. Naruto just stood there confused seeing that the jonin was gone.

He never noticed that Kakashi was crouched behind him, his hands formed into a sign.

Sakura gasped.

"Is that the sign of the tiger?" Kagome muttered out from her spot in the branch. She knew that it could be deadly, even for Naruto.

Sasuke was on the tree next to hers, watching as well. "Maybe…" he replied quietly.

"GET OUT OF THERE NARUTO! HE'S GOING TO DESTROY YOU!" Sakura shouted, jumping out from her spot in the bushes.

Kagome sweatdropped. _'Way to blow your cover, genius…' _

"Too late." Kakashi called out, Naruto looking behind him in surprise.

"VILLAGE SECRET FINGER JUTSU!" Kakashi yelled out.

'_Huh? That's not…' _Kagome thought to herself, confusingly. She never finished her thought though because…

What happened next was very unexpected.

Kakashi launched Naruto in the air by shoving two fingers up his butt.

"ONE THOUSAND YEARS OF DEATH!"

Sasuke closed his eyes, clearly seeing this scene as degrading. "Those two are just idiots…" he said more to himself.

"My sentiments exactly, Sasuke."

He glanced next to him to see Kagome now crouched in the same branch next to him, her having his same expression on her face.

"There's something about this jonin that's not right…" she added, and he agreed completely.

It was hard for them not to think that since their sensei read porn and had a very unpleasant technique like that.

Naruto fell in the nearby lake and Kakashi continued reading his book. Kagome silently slipped from her position in a heartbeat, hiding somewhere else.

Once carefully hidden, Kagome rolled up her sleeve. A bracelet that had charms shaped as weapons. She picked one out and it transformed full size.

She waited for her chance to strike.

Kakashi caught some shuriken that flew out of the water towards him without even looking, hooking his fingers through them and they twirled.

His attention was drawn when a bunch of Naruto clones shot out of the water, and he closed his book.

He was ready for their attack but was not prepared for a clone that grabbed his back.

'_He did it!' _Sakura thought happily, seeing the clones hold down the jonin. A clone was in the air ready to strike him.

He brought his fist down—only to punch the face of his own clone.

The clones were confused along with Sakura. Sasuke figured this would've happened; this jonin was clever after all. _'Replacement jutsu…' _

Confused, all the clones started striking at each other to find the imposter. The dust cleared only to reveal one battered and bruised Naruto.

The blonde boy spotted a bell near a tree. As naïve as he was, he immediately tried grabbing it; only to be hanging by his feet just a second later.

Kakashi walked out of nowhere, and picked up the bell. "If the bait is really that obvious…don't go for it." He lectured him in pity. Naruto furiously struggled against the ropes that held him upside down.

Sasuke saw this as the perfect chance and threw a volley of kunai and shuriken at Kakashi. They managed to hit Kakashi; who turned into a log.

'_What?'_ Sasuke realized. He sped from his spot as fast as he could. _'Now he knows where I'm hiding! I have to move quick!'_

Sakura ran after him. _'Sasuke! Where did you go! Kakashi can't get to my Sasuke-kun! I have to find him!' _She stopped and spotted Kakashi a few feet away reading a book, who hadn't noticed her yet.

"Sakura, behind you." Kakashi's voice whispered out. She spun her head around only to see her worst nightmare.

Sasuke on the verge of death; about 20 kunai and shuriken pierced everywhere on him.

She screamed bloody murder and fell on the ground unconscious. Kakashi blinked from a tree he sat in. _'Perhaps I went too hard on her…..nah. She should've seen past this.' _He flipped another page in his book.

"Shinobi battle skill, part 2: Ginjutsu. The illusion part."

Sasuke arrived, giving a disappointed glare at the unconscious pink-haired girl. _'I'm not surprised she fell for it. She's too weak.' _

"I'm not like the others." Sasuke proclaimed, the jonin not taking any slight interest whatsoever. "Why don't you put those words into action?" Kakashi spoke not looking from his book.

Sasuke threw some kunai in Kakashi's direction; he dodged but didn't know that a kunai cut a rope nearby, releasing a trap.

Kakashi just barely dodged more kunai that was released from a hidden trap. Sasuke got behind him and did a roundhouse, Kakashi catching his foot just in time.

They skidded onto either side of the area; Kakashi had drawn away just before Sasuke could grab a bell tied to his belt.

'_I wont be able to read my book now…' _Kakashi whined mentally, putting his book back in his bag.

Sasuke performed rapid hand signs, and Kakashi instantly knew what he was going to do.

'_That can't be a fire jutsu…can it?' _he inquired to himself. He knew that a fire jutsu took so much charka, even a genin couldn't perform it on a first try.

Sasuke blew some fire from his mouth, and it engulfed the spot were Kakashi was. When it died down, nothing was left but a crater. No Kakashi.

Realizing that he got away, Sasuke looked around trying to sense where he could be. He wasn't anywhere. _'But where is he hiding?' _

"Below you."

Sasuke felt something grabbed his ankles and pull him underground, only until his head was the only thing above the surface.

Kakashi kneeled down in front of him. "Earth style, head hunter jutsu."

Sasuke struggled from his spot underground, trying to get some movement in his arms. It was in vain, however.

Kakashi pointed out, "That was the Shinobi battle technique, part 3: Ninjutsu. The earth skill."

He crinkled his eyes to an upside down 'U'. "You have skill, and you are different from the others. But just because you're different doesn't mean you're any better."

He stood up and turned from the spot. He took out his book as he slowly walked away.

'_Now only Kagome is left…but where is she?' _Indeed, Kagome had been secluded from the battle the whole time. _'I wonder if she—' _

A giant boomerang cut between some large trees and flew at him.

Kakashi's eyes widened and he jumped out of the way, the boomerang cutting down a few more trees from behind. He dodged the boomerang as it flew back at him in reverse.

'_What?' _Sasuke thought as he glanced at the direction it was thrown. The boomerang was caught by Kagome as it came back to her and she spun it it by the handle above her head.

"HIRAKOTSU!" she yelled and threw it once again at the jonin. Kakashi phased out of the way, and landed a few yards away.

He looked up, only to see Kagome in the air above him with a katana ready to strike him.

CLANG!

The katana came in contact of the metal plate on top of Kakashi's hand as he blocked it. Kakashi's arm shook as he tried pushing against the sword's blade, Kagome struggling to push it down against him.

Kakashi threw it off and Kagome jumped away.

'_She's quick!' _Kakashi and Sasuke thought at the same time. Kakashi threw some kunai and Kagome blocked it with the large boomerang that flew back in time, using it as a shield.

She dropped the boomerang next to her and held out her katana. She took out another one from a sheath strapped to her waist and charged at him.

He managed to block all of them, receiving a small cut on the cheek below his visible eye as blood drew from it.

Kagome cut the string of a bell that was tied against his waist and caught it.

'_She got a bell!' _Kakashi thought in total shock as she landed far away, holding the bell by the string swinging it around tauntingly. "Having trouble, sensei?" she mocked him.

"Hm…you're quicker than the others, and I must say it is impressive you retrieved a bell from me. But there isn't much time to get the other bells from me." He replied coolly.

Kagome charged at him and swung both her blades. Kakashi jumped away and disappeared with a teleportation jutsu.

She cursed quietly and, crossed her blades for a moment, before sliding them in the sheaths at each of her hips and placing a bell in her pocket. "Phew." She picked up the boomerang as it shrunk back to a small charm and attached it to her bracelet.

She shifted her gaze at the nearly-buried Sasuke and walked over. She stood a good distance away from him.

"Hm?" She glanced at a different direction, Sasuke following her gaze as well.

Sakura appeared out of nowhere and looked horrified at Sasuke once more. Kagome had watched in amusement at her reaction.

"THIS TIME IT'S ONLY SASUKE'S HEAD!" she screamed and fell on the ground again. Sasuke sweatdropped.

She crossed her arms. "Nice girlfriend." she spoke with a smirk. Sasuke growled menacingly at the comment. "Just get me out of here."

She rolled her eyes and took out a sword. She held it above her head and stabbed it into the ground, making a large crack stretch towards Sasuke. Sasuke jumped out as soon as he could move his legs.

Kagome pulled her sword out and sheathed it. She walked over to Sakura. She tilted the girl's head slightly. "Yea…she's unconscious."

Sasuke blinked in surprise as he watched her sling Sakura over her shoulder and walked back, hearing the bell ring.

He followed her. _'She's really smart…fast…and strong….' _Sasuke thought to himself.

* * *

"Stomachs all growling? Well…that's too bad."

Kakashi stood in front of all the genin. Sakura was awake by then. They all sat by the poles, excluding Naruto who was tied to one of them. There were three bento boxes laid out.

"About this exercise….I decided not to send you guys back to the academy." At first they were surprised. Sakura and Naruto shook it off quickly and cheered.

"I decided to drop you all from the program." He finished.

Then the moment was gone.

Sakura and Naruto's faces turned to disbelief. Sasuke and Kagome's faces turned dark. "But that means we will never become ninjas!" Naruto cried out.

Kakashi nodded. "Precisely. You all don't think like ninjas. You all act like a bunch of brats."

Sasuke, clearly mad, charged at him. "Sasuke!" Sakura cried.

Kakashi was sitting on Sasuke's back with a foot planted on his head in a fraction of a second.

"You think it is all about you, do you?" Kakashi asked while looking at the boy.

"GET OFF HIM YOU CAN'T JUST CRUSH HIM LIKE A BUG!" Sakura furiously cried out. Kakashi glared at them. "You don't know what it means to be a ninja, don't you?"

Sakura immediately shut up. "You think it's a game?" Kakashi said his tone slightly dark. Kagome glanced at Kakashi.

"Why do you think we put you on squads? Have you ever thought about **that**?"

Stuttering, Sakura spoke, "W-well…we don't know what you mean…" Naruto nodded in agreement. Kagome shook her head and rolled her eyes. _'Are they that dense….?'_

"You didn't realize what this exercise was all about."

Naruto blinked dumbly. "What it's about…?" Kakashi nodded. "Yes. THAT is what determines whether you pass or not. But you never thought about it, haven't you. Even though the answer is right in front of you."

They looked at the ground with shame. "Use your head. Four man squad. Why do you think we would put you all in groups?"

Agitated, Naruto shouted out, "TELL US!"

"Teamwork."

They all glanced in Kagome's direction, who leaned against a different pole with her arms crossed with her head turned towards them. "This was about teamwork."

"She's right. Even she could figure it out." Kakashi implied.

Sakura shot up and put her hands on her hips. "If you knew then why didn't you tell us!" she hissed out.

Kagome shook her head. "Why don't you use your brain for a change? Instead of obsessing over Sasuke so much….we could have worked together and gotten the bells."

Sakura's eye twitched a few times.

"Even though there were four of us, Kakashi purposely had three bells to turn us against each other. It worked because you all cared about yourselves instead of the team and didn't want to be sent back to the academy." Kagome replied. Her tone of voice made it sound so simple.

"Kagome knew where this was going. If you all had worked together and come at me, you would've taken the bells from me. But you did not, that's why you failed."

He looked at Sakura. "Sakura. Like Kagome said before, you obsessed over Sasuke and didn't pay attention. You could've worked with Naruto, who was standing in front of you the whole time." Sakura lowered her head in shame.

"Naruto. You did everything on your own without even a care…." Naruto looked at the ground, ashamed as well.

"Sasuke. You thought everyone was in your way and you decided to attack me on your own. Your arrogance lead you to your downfall." He looked at Sasuke who was struggling.

Kakashi looked at Kagome, his tone softening just a little bit, "Kagome. You managed to take a bell from me. But even though you were able to take a bell and you knew the point of the exercise, you still didn't try to work with the others or even convince them."

Kagome looked away.

"You have to understand teamwork is an essential element to squads. When people put themselves above the squad, it will lead to failure and it could lead to death. For example…" he drew a kunai from his holster and pointed it at Sasuke's neck.

"SAKURA! KILL NARUTO OR SASUKE DIES!" Naruto and Sakura screamed out disbelievingly, Naruto panicking as he looked back and forth between them.

Seeing that they understood, Kakashi withdrew the kunai and they all sighed in relief.

"That is what happens when on a mission. When an enemy takes a hostage you have a big decision to make. Someone will be dead."

He twirled the kunai momentarily before getting off Sasuke. "When on a mission, your life will always be on the line." He said and walked over to a stone with writings on them.

Kakashi stared at the stone that was in front of him. "This stone has names written on them. They are all ninja that are honored heroes in the village…."

Naruto smiled and exclaimed, "That's me! I'm going to be on one of those stones someday! I'll be honored!"

Kakashi was silent. Kagome sadly looked away. "Naruto…they're not just any heroes….they're ninjas who died while on missions." Naruto's face dropped.

Sasuke's mood faltered and he stared at the ground.

"This is a memorial stone…all the names of my closest friends are engraved here…" Kakshi spoke, his voice sounded so low.

Kagome's eyes widened and narrowed sadly at the same moment. She glanced at the stone.

Kakashi looked back at them. In his eyes, he saw that they all had great potential. His expression softened. "All right…I'm going to give you all a second chance. But this time I will make it harder for you all." Everyone's mood rose as they were filled with hope.

"You will have three hours to get the bells from me. Eat lunch now. The catch: you can't feed Naruto otherwise you will immediately fail. Got it?"

He left without even letting them respond.

Everyone besides Naruto ate from their bento boxes, silently. None of them said a word. Kagome had not taken a bite of her food. Naruto's stomach growled loudly again.

Not taking it anymore, Kagome sliced the ropes with the katana in a flash and threw the bento box on Naruto's lap. "Eat. Now." She said. It was more of a command.

"KAGOME! What are you doing! You heard him! We'll fail! You're nothing but a bitch that cares only about herself!" Sakura screamed out pointing at her with her chopsticks.

Kagome sent a glare in her direction, and spat at her, "He needs the energy to get the bells if we're going to work together. Besides…." Everyone stared at her.

"I'd stab myself first before eating in front of someone who is forced not to eat and is starving. I won't abandon anyone."

Naruto had tears in his eyes. He sniffed emotionally, "K-Kagome-chan…"

Sasuke looked at his bento box and gave it to Naruto wordlessly, Sakura shocked by his actions. "You don't have to listen to her, Sasuke-kun! She—"

Sasuke gave her a warning glance. "She's right. He needs to eat if we are going to take the bells. Kakashi isn't here anyway."

His assumption was wrong because Kakashi was closer than they thought, standing near a tree secluded from their view. _'They're actually feeding him…' _Kakashi thought.

Sakura huffed and went back to eating, Kagome still glaring at her for not caring about Naruto. Naruto took a bite of rice from his bento.

Just as he bit into the food, a large explosion resided at a far distance from them. The wind blew in their faces as they tried standing up as the ground shook violently.

Sakura screamed. Sasuke stood up and he subconsciously stood in front of Kagome, ready for whatever might happen. Kagome stood there calmly as the wind blew against her.

"YOU—!"

Kakashi came from the smoke and stood in front of them, with an enraged face. "I hope you're ready for your punishment!" he performed hand signs, and lightning flashed as dark clouds instantly formed above them all. An earthquake erupted and the ground cracked slightly. The scene almost looked as if it was the end of the world.

"Any last words?" Kakashi threatened darkly, everyone disgruntled.

"Yes." A voice replied calmly.

Kakashi and the others looked at Kagome next to Sasuke. She crossed her arms and spoke, "Do we pass?"

The three genin gave her a look of confusion. Kakashi had a shocked expression written all over his face. He stood up straight and scratched his head. "You knew the whole time didn't you?"

Kagome nodded. Sasuke stared at her, questionably. "But….how?" Sasuke uttered to the girl. Kagome looked at the sky as the dark clouds parted with sunlight peeking through. "Every ninja knows that breaking the rules makes you a scum but…"

She glanced at Kakashi, who was smiling underneath his mask. Kagome gave the tiniest hint of a smile. "But those who abandon their friends are even worse than that…"

Kakashi nodded and his eyes turned to an upside down 'U'. "She's right. Because of this you all pass!" he declared. Sakura cheered and Sasuke smirked in victory. Naruto's eyes watered and he said emotionally, "You know…now I think he's cool…"

Kakashi smiled and gave a thumbs up. "First real ninja begins tomorrow! Let's go home now." Everyone followed him as he walked back.

Sasuke looked back at Kagome who trailed behind, staring at the ground the whole time.

Sasuke couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with Kagome the whole time.

**Please bear with me if I made any mistakes because I just started watching the first few episodes of Naruto and just know only some of the stuff. I watch episodes before I started writing this fic. **

**Remember my updates will be slow. So I can't guarantee a new chapter of any stories at anytime soon. I proofed read this over 10 times so I hope it's good for you all! **

**Sayonara! **

**(1) ****Remember they enter from the top of the classroom, not the bottom. Teacher enters from bottom. **

**(2) Naruto style. Not just any kind!**

**(3) Polite way of saying 'Good morning' in Japanese.**

**(4) Slang for 'Idiot' in Japanese.**

**(5) 'Bastard' in Japanese.**

**(6) In English, it's Make-out paradise. **

**(*) ****A/N: It's not who you think it is..****.**


	2. Ch 2: Pasts and Secrets

**I'm sorry this chapter is so short. This basically covers Kagome, on basically what happened to her family and how it became everything she is. **

**Sort of. **

**But I hope you enjoy it. Hopefully I'll get another chapter posted soon? Maybe if I have time…**

**Warning: Some Sakura bashing. I'll see how it goes. **

**-AU so however this fic goes, IT GOES LIKE THAT….**

**NOTE: Just to cover some things, the modern era in the Inuyasha series and the era in the Naruto series are the same times. Also, in this story she lives in the same area where she once lived in before she died. So the Goshinboku is somewhere around as long as the well. She's just the only one who knows where it is. **

Main Summary: After friends and family are killed, Kagome dies and is reborn into the Naruto world; but with some deadly secrets. She attends the Ninja academy and joins team 7 as a new life begins for her. But what happens when everything from Kagome's past returns for her…? AU

Pairing: Sasuke/Kagome

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto. They belong to their rightful owners.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Later in the day team 7 had wandered the town, but Kagome. She had walked away alone. She went home, changed into the same outfit she wore yesterday, carried a large shapely case and walked out, Kilala following.

Her paces were slow as she walked into the nearby forest. She disappeared through the thick trees and kept walking.

The sun in the early afternoon shined through the leaves of the trees, spots of sunlight dotted on the ground in the middle of the pathway Kagome walked in, shadows to the side right under the trees to the side. The leaves were brushed by a calming wind that blew and shifted Kagome's hair behind her excluding her bangs that were lowered, hiding her eyes.

A larger area was shown at the end and she looked up. It was secluded with nothing but about a dozen flowers, a large area of grass and three faded objects a distance away. Kagome sighed sadly and walked towards the figures sticking from the ground and stood in front of them.

They were tombstones. Three of them to be exact.

Kagome kneeled down and took something out from her bag. Three white lilies. She placed them over their graves slowly and stared sadly at the names written on them. Kilala mewed sadly and rubbed against her arm affectionately, as if she knew Kagome was feeling grief.

She looked at the bottom part of the stones with some words written on them.

It may seem like it but they weren't real graves. They were memorials. For her family.

A memory flashed through her eyes….

_Early in the morning, Kagome climbed through the well, and ran out the shrine to her house. She happily called out, "Mom, Souta, Grampa I'm home!" _

_She ran in the house and stopped dead in her tracks. There was furniture tipped over, vases or other glassware were broken as well. It looked like nobody's been in this place for days.  
_

"_Mom…?" She whispered out. She ran around the house, hoping to find something, ANYTHING that meant they were around. There was nothing.  
_

_She shook her head and ran out the house, across town. She ran to the police station and asked the chief. "Excuse me, I've come to report some missing people!" she panicked. _

_He looked up from his notes and responded plainly, "Is it family?" She nodded. He took out a binder full of papers and flipped through them. "What family name is it?" _

"_Higurashi." _

_His hand that held a paper stopped at midpoint, and Kagome blinked. He shut the binder slowly and said quietly. "I'm sorry…you don't even know…" _

_Kagome's face turned to fear, realizing this had to be a bad thing. "What? What is it! Where are they!" she cried out, ready to burst into tears. _

_The man looked up, a solemn look on his face. "Your family….they've been the same place they've been for days….at Shira-yuri __**(1) **__cemetery…." _

_Kagome felt her heart stop and her blood run cold. She ran out._

_She kept running as fast as she could, tears threatening to leak out of her eyes the whole time. She arrived at the cemetery, searching through some tombstones. _

_Then she came upon three particular ones. They had the names of her family. _

"_No…" she mumbled, crumpling to her knees shakily. She brushed away some grass that covered some words. _

_She repeated to herself what the letters said. _

"_Died December 15__th __, 1998 under assassination of the business man named Gato. The reasons were cruel and unforgiving. May these unfortunate souls rest in peace for their innocence…." She mumbled. She buried her face in her knuckles and shook her head, her hair flying wildly. Then, the tears she tried holding back shed._

_Taking it no more, she fled back. Back to the well. Never to return. _

_Someday….maybe….she would find this man…. _

Her friends had died that night when she went back.

Kagome's eyes darkened. She shook her head and wiped her eye from a tear that was threatening to fall.

Ever since she passed on to a new life, she was tired of being weak. She was tired of crying. Crying was just showing weakness, and showing that she _is _ weak; in her eyes, she believed. But somewhere on the inside, she still felt the urge to cry from time to time.

She didn't want any friends either, for her own reasons. She didn't want to be heartbroken _again _if people she cared about got taken away from her.

"Hey guys…..I just graduated and now I'm a ninja." She spoke as if she was talking to someone. She continued while staring at the skies. "I wish you guys could be here….I wish…I could see you guys one more time…."

Kagome shifted her eyes back to the stone and shut them tightly. "Goodbye…"

She stood up with her case and walked away, Kilala staying at her spot before following along. Kilala looked back for a brief moment before catching up to her master who was a distance away.

Kagome and Kilala sat on a tree that didn't have any leaves in a semi-secluded area and brought out something from her case.

A guitar.

She tuned the guitar, plucking it for the right note. Kilala seemed to have enjoyed every sound the guitar made as the notes changed and she mewed happily, wagging her tail.

* * *

Sasuke rolled his eyes as Sakura tried catching up to him. Naruto was also following in tow behind the pink-haired girl.

Sasuke walked faster, trying to avoid and the calls Sakura was giving him. "Sasuke-kuuunnn! Wait up!"

Much to his disappointment Sakura caught up and latched onto his arm like a barnacle to a turtle: a vice grip. Sasuke growled as she kept on babbling about other stuff he didn't care about. He flew her off his arm and yelled, "Don't TOUCH me! Useless weakling!"

Sakura was hurt for a moment, but her arrogance got to her and she called, "You just called me that so I can become stronger! Yea! To get stronger than that Higurashi girl!"

Naruto furrowed his brows, understanding the offense Sakura was giving to Kagome when she wasn't here. He liked Sakura, but truthfully Kagome was a nicer person than she was even though she was mysterious.

"Sakura, don't talk about Kagome that way! She's a nice person!" Naruto retorted. Sakura glared at him. "She can't be better than ME! I'm prettier, smarter, and a better fighter than she is!" she huffed, flipping her hair. Sasuke turned his head and gave her a silent death glare at her.

Naruto smiled slyly. "Really? That's not what Iruka-sensei said when he mentioned your ninja skills were at the bottom at the ranks in the female group!" He was joking when he had said that. But Sakura didn't seem to take it as that.

"SHUT UP!" She fumed, punching the back of his head and he whined.

They both followed Sasuke who was far ahead in the forest.

Sasuke kept walking until he spotted something, or some_one_ in a tree. Without it having leaves, he could clearly see who it was.

"Sasuke-teme, what's wi—" Naruto started but bumped into his back since he wasn't paying attention ahead of him. Sakura ran up and glared as Naruto shook his head.

They all followed Sasuke's gaze to the tree and were watching the person in the tree.

'_What's Kagome doing up there….with a guitar? She looks like she's about to play it.'_ Sasuke thought with interest while Sakura did not look too pleased.

Kagome sighed and finished tuning her guitar properly. A hand hovered over the strings for a long moment before strumming it. The tune was completely in-key, not a note was off-balanced.

Kagome, not realizing she was being watched, started to sing.

They were all mesmerized. Her voice sounded so soft and pure as she sang it, like an angel.

**Na na****  
****Na na na na na**

**I miss you****  
****Miss you so bad****  
****I don't forget you****  
****Oh it's so sad**

**I hope you can hear me****  
****I remember it clearly**

**The day you slipped away...****  
****Was the day I found****it won't be the same****  
****Oh**

**Na na****  
****Na na na na na**

**I didn't get around to kiss you****  
****Goodbye on the hand****  
****I wish that I could see you again****  
****I know that I can't ****  
****I hope you can hear me****  
****Cause I remember it clearly**

**The day you slipped away...****  
****Was the day I found**** it**** won't be the same****  
****Oh**

**I've had my wake up****  
****Won't you wake up****  
****I keep asking why****  
****And I can't take it****  
****It wasn't fake it****  
****It happened you passed by**

**Now you're gone****  
****Now you're gone****  
****There you go****  
****There you go****  
****Somewhere I can't bring you back****  
**

**Now you're gone****  
****Now you're gone****  
****There you go****  
****There you go****  
****Somewhere you're not coming back**

**The day you slipped away...****  
****Was the day I found**** i****t won't be the same****  
****Oh**

**The day you slipped away...****  
****Was the day I found ****it won't be the same****  
****Oh**

**Na na****  
****Na na na na na**

**I miss you…**

Kagome sighed after finishing and stared blankly in front of her.

The other three were still put in a trance by her singing. That is…until Sakura broke it by snobbishly shouting, "STOP TRYING TO IMPRESS SASUKE-KUN! YOU'RE NO BETTER THAN ME!"

Bad mistake.

Kagome jumped up slightly at the Medusa's screech and whipped her head around to them, shock filling her features.

Kagome then sent a small glare at the fuming Sakura before quickly putting her guitar back in its case and disappearing in a puff of smoke with a teleportation jutsu. The smoke cleared up; she and Kilala were gone.

Naruto blinked. "When did she learn how to do that?"

* * *

Kagome slammed the door open in her room and threw her guitar case on the side of the room and flopped on the bed furiously, jamming her face into a pillow.

After taking out her frustration in the pillow for a few minutes she slowly brought her face up and stared out the window, watching the deep blue sky that barely had any clouds.

She grumbled and flopped on her side with crossed arms. "All I wanted was to be alone…." She muttered. "All I want is to be ALONE. But _no_..." she spewed out the last word with venom. "I had to be put in a team with a fucking banshee who doesn't know when to shut her mouth!"

She flinched and got up.

Kilala mewed as she ran to the bathroom. Kagome had felt some slight pain as her anger had rose high at that moment. She splashed some water on her face a few times and grabbed a towel, patting her face dry. She sighed and looked in the mirror.

She stared sadly, seeing her face in the reflection. There were jagged blue markings on her cheekbones and she traced them with her index and middle finger slowly.

'_At least I didn't go full out berserk …'_

Kagome knew she wasn't completely human. Not like as in Naruto(she knew about Kyuubi) inhuman; like in blood relation. Half of her blood was human, part of it was…demon. But not just any demon.

A DOG demon.

Just like…Inuyasha was.

She didn't have to find out to know. She fingered her raven hair which went down to her knees, letting the strands fall; emphasizing the idea. Dog demon's hair are much longer than human's and they grow faster when they're cut off.

However, since she didn't maintain the demon's physical appearance, she still remained in human form. She could use the demon attacks, but mostly never does. She had never told anyone about her secret, and she intended to keep it that way.

She clenched her fists and stared at her reflection with a scowl, but not letting her anger break loose.

She was just like Inuyasha. Since she was born. However…unlike him, she willfully tried so hard not to let her demon side loose.

Inuyasha's demon had only come out when his life was in danger. It was the same principle with her, except Kagome's demon side was also tied to her emotions. Specifically: anger. So if she got too angry, her demon side could let loose at any moment.

That's why she ignored anything that might have made her furious. Like Sakura, for example, when she insults her and calls herself better than her.

But then again, she knew that wasn't true. Sakura was all talk but no action.

What was worse…she was shunned by the whole village. More like the adults, who kept their children away from them; saying she was a monster. She didn't know how they knew but...they've done it since she was a child.

The markings disappeared and Kagome closed her eyes, exhaling deeply. She walked out and sat on the edge of the bed, crossing her arms and staring at the ground.

She heard purring and something rubbing against her side. She gave a small smile and petted Kilala, who gave a purr of content. Kagome looked around the room. She crinkled her nose as she clearly looked around her room for the first time.

She lied on her side as Kilala cuddled against her stomach, and said to herself,

"I'm not cleaning my room anytime soon…"

* * *

**SONG KAGOME SANG(which I don't own): "Slipped away" by Avril Lavigne.**

**Avril is one of my favorite singers; all her songs hold a story and are filled with emotion. **

**I'm not just going to leave this chapter for you all for a long while. I will post a longer chapter up a little bit later, so don't be disappointed! ^_^**

**Until then…**

**Sayonara!**

**(1) White lily in Japanese.**


	3. Ch 3: First mission and Zabuza

**Hmm…I don't quite like this chapter but…I guess it's all of your guy's opinion that matters.**

**Warning: Some Sakura bashing. I'll see how it goes. **

**-AU so however the story goes, ****IT GOES LIKE THAT…**

Summary: After friends and family are killed, Kagome dies and is reborn into the Naruto world; but with some deadly secrets. She attends the Ninja academy and joins team 7 as a new life begins for her. But what happens when everything from Kagome's past returns for her…? AU

Pairing: Sasuke/Kagome

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"Sasuke, I'm at point B."

"Sakura, I'm at point C."

…

...

"Naruto, I'm at point A."

"You're too slow Naruto…" Kakashi's voice was heard.

"Kagome, I'm at point D."

"Target has moved!" Kakashi's voice rung through the microphone. The figure jumped in the bushes as Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto surrounded it. They glanced from their spots from behind the trees.

"What's your distance from the target?" Kakashi spoke quietly. Naruto spoke just as quiet in response, "5 meters. Give the signal already."

"I'm ready." Sasuke and Sakura stated at the same time. Kakashi nodded. "Ready….NOW!"

They sped at the figure as it ran away just as they leaped from their positions. Being faster, Naruto grabbed it just before it could get away. "I GOT IT!"

The figure, which so happens to be a cat, clawed at Naruto's face angrily as he tried holding it back. Sakura giggled in amusement watching.

Kagome rolled her eyes and walked from her spot to Naruto.

The cat stopped scratching the boy and ran to Kagome, who picked it up and started petting it, the feline purring against her contently. Kilala, who had been on Kagome's shoulder the whole time, hissed in jealousy and the two cats were caught in a fierce glaring contest while hissing.

"That's enough, Kilala." Kagome scolded her two-tailed cat and she stopped hissing.

Sasuke walked over, observed the cat and said into his microphone, "We have a positive ID."

"Good. Tora, lost pet, has been caught. Well done." Kakashi confirmed. Kagome yawned. She was bored out of her mind.

"CAN'T WE GET A DIFFERENT MISSION? I HATE CATS!" Naruto yelled while getting up and his face held many cat scratches.

Unfortunately for him, Kilala had heard and she pounced on his face, clawing at it some more and Naruto screamed.

Ouch.

* * *

Kagome awkwardly rubbed her head seeing the cat being squished against its owner, who looked very overweight. The lady also wore too much makeup for her complexion.

The lady happily rubbed her cheek against the cat as it struggled to break free. "My little Tora is back! Oh, mommy was so worried about you! Yes I was!" she cooed her feline, the cat still suffering. Kilala mewed victoriously on Kagome's shoulder.

Naruto laughed in enjoyment of the cat's misery. "That cat deserves to be squashed!"

Kagome leaned over to Sasuke and mumbled, "No wonder why it ran away…" Sasuke nodded in agreement, sweatdropping as the cat continued to suffocate.

The woman thanked the Hokage, paid her reward and left while he read a sheet over in front of him.

"You have other missions such as baby sitting a three year-old, shopping, picking potatoes…." His sentence was cut off by Naruto who screamed out his first word.

"**NO**! NO WAY! I want to go on a REAL MISSION! Come on old man, I'm through playing kid missions!" he crossed his arms and flung them back and forth in a 'not on your life!' motion.

'_He's such a pain….' _Sakura thought annoyingly.

'_This was bound to come anyway…' _Kakashi, Kagome, and Sasuke thought at the same time, sweatdropping.

Iruka furiously slammed his hands on the desk, yelling, "You're just a genin! You have no experience and you have to start with special missions to show your skills and prove yourself!"

Naruto shouted back with a tick mark on his forehead, "Are you joking! Babysitting isn't a mission, it's-!"

Kagome's closed her eyes and slapped the upside of Naruto's head which caused him to tumble over, making him shut up just before it could get serious. Kilala mewed happily and wagged her tails.

Naruto whined and rubbed the back of his head, some tears in his eyes as he glanced at Kagome while saying 'Why?' repeatedly. Kakashi scratched the back of his head nervously.

The Hokage smiled amusingly.

"Alright. Since you are all so determined, I will assign you a C ranked mission. You will be bodyguards on an escort mission." The Hokage said, who not really wanted to deal with Naruto's protests more than he already did.

Everyone's faces were shocked but they said nothing. Naruto smiled and jumped up shouting, "Believe it!"

Kagome sighed, muttering to herself, "For once his attitude did some good…"

Naruto jumped up and down, his excitement getting the best of him. "So who are we guarding? A princess! A lord!"

The Hokage shook his head and called out, "Send in our guest…" The door slid open, revealing…an old man, who looked drunk. Well, _was_ drunk, since it was shown that he had red blush over his face and a bottle of sake in his hand.

"_These _are my bodyguards?" he glanced at all of them individually. "A bunch of snot-nosed kids?" his voice was slurred but held strong criticism. He took another gulp of his sake.

Everyone sweatdropped, minus Naruto who was angry at the man's comment.

Kagome shook her head as it was bent low, and sighed in a disappointed manner.

'_This was not what I was hoping for…I thought this person would be more civilized…'_

Kagome wondered how this man was able to make it to the Hokage's tower in his condition without passing out on the way. Kilala jumped on her head and hissed at the man in protest, which made him flinch thinking what the heck it was.

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked the old man.

The old man's voice turned serious as he spoke, "I'm Tazuna, an expert bridge builder. You will all escort me back to my land safely even if it will cost you your lives." He took another swig of his sake.

"We'll get the job done! Believe it!" Naruto said determinedly. Even if this man was a rude person, he still wanted to prove himself worthy.

Tazuna shifted his eyes to the blonde boy, and scoffed. "I don't think I could trust my life to this idiot."

Naruto's face fell and then turned to rage. If not for Kakashi who held him back, Naruto would've pounced on the elder. He still struggled in the jonin's grasp to break free and attack the drunken fool.

Kagome stared at the man, her eyes harsh and unforgiving. _'He's just lucky he's drunk…'_

"Let's get going." Kakashi stated. The old man huffed and left the doorway, the others following. Kagome followed behind them all.

* * *

Kagome blinked as she watched Naruto cheer just as they walked out the main gates of Konoha.

Sakura called out through his excitement, "Why are you so happy, baka** (1)**!" her voice sounded annoyed.

"This is my first time outside of Konoha! I'm a traveler now!" Naruto replied/shouted back in excitement, ignoring the insult and still jumped up and down as Kilala joined him as well by prancing around. Sakura however was a little excited too, even though she wouldn't admit it.

It may have been all of their first time too, but Kagome and Sasuke were not as hyped up as he was.

Kagome looked around. _'This reminds me…of the feudal era….'_ She then looked to all her team. Her expression slightly dropped.

"What's wrong?" Naruto said, seeing Kagome's slightly sad expression. Everyone, minus Sakura and Tazuna, glanced at her. Kagome lifted her head and shook it.

"Forget it. Let's just go..." She said with her voice almost inaudible to hear, and started walking ahead with Kilala beside her.

This whole time they had not known that two figures were in the trees watching them.

"Kakashi-sensei. In the Land of Waves, will there be any ninja?" Sakura asked the jonin walking beside her. Kakashi shook his head, "No. There aren't. This is a C rank mission. So there won't be any battles."

The not-drunken Tazuna's expression changed to suspicious just as Kakashi finished his sentence.

Sakura sighed inwardly in relief, thinking she wouldn't have to fight. She still glared at Kagome walking ahead, between Sasuke and Naruto.

'_How could Sasuke-kun stand being around her….I don't get it!' _She thought overwhelmed with envy and hatred. Never once has she ever seen Sasuke be with any girl at the academy….or _any _girl at all!

Kagome looked around the scenery ahead, not knowing about the death glares that Sakura sent from behind her; it wasn't as if Kagome would care if she knew.

'_The area…the trees…Something doesn't feel right…_' Kagome thought as she felt an ominous aura from the sides. _'It's as if something…or __**someone **__is watching…' _Kagome stared at the trees to the side, her paces slowed.

Kagome's eyes trailed to a small water puddle. She stopped in her tracks and stared at it. _'Hm….A puddle…' _she noted the clear sky and dry ground.

'_But it hasn't rained for a long time…'_

Kakashi was next to her, who obviously looked like he noticed as well. "You noticed it too." Kakashi asked rhetorically to the girl without even looking at her. Kagome nodded wordlessly.

They both caught up with the rest a moment later. Kagome was still cautious every step she took.

As if her suspicions had come true, two figures appeared from nowhere, and chains that were attached to their iron claws wrapped around Kakashi's body in a vice grip.

Everyone looked back in shock. The two ninjas yanked on the chains and ripped Kakashi's body apart, the shreds falling onto the ground.

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!" Sakura screamed in horror.

Kagome hissed, _'Damn it all!' _she thought, self-loathing for not noticing the ninjas before. Kilala growled as her furs bristled. "Kilala! Stay near Tazuna and Sakura!" Kilala nodded and ran next to Tazuna.

They both appeared behind Naruto, one of them whispering, "You're next!" and threw their chains at him.

Naruto never felt the chains and he opened his eyes with a gasp. Kagome stood in front of him and was holding one of her katanas in front of her as the chains were wrapped around them.

She pulled the katana back and knocked them away. "Naruto, MOVE!" she yelled in a fierce commanding tone and pushed him away before the chains could try and grapple him again.

Facing one ninja who threw the chains at her again, she grabbed it with her hand and pulled it towards her trying to make the ninja fall over. With a jerk of the chains, she made the ninja fly to the side and hit a nearby tree.

Sasuke noticed the second ninja and kicked him in the side of his face before he could strike Kagome's unprotected back.

The ninja that was kicked away regained his footing instantly and went for the old bridge builder.

Sakura blindly drew a kunai and stood in front of Tazuna. She was frozen with a fearful expression as the ninja got closer. She didn't know what to do.

"Sakura!" Naruto cried as he saw the ninja ready to strike the said-girl with his claws.

There was a clang a millisecond later and Sakura gasped slightly as Kagome stood in front of her, a hand held the arm that was supposedly going to strike Sakura with the katana in her other.

Even though this was a stupid time, Sakura thought, _'Hey! I was about to defend somebody and look good! What the hell!' _peeved off.

Kagome's voice was strained while she grunted, "Sakura, if you want to protect the man, don't just stand there like a statue…." as she held against the clawed arm that pierced her shoulder, blood started dripping on the ground.

Kagome knocked him away forcefully and staggered slightly. Sasuke was running towards the three as the ninja was ready to strike Kagome before-

-someone caught the ninja in a headlock. They all choked in on their breaths in amazement at their savior.

Kakashi.

Sakura cried out, "Kakashi-sensei! You're alive!" with some tears in her eyes of relief and happiness. Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly. _'Show off…' _he thought bitterly. He wanted to be the one to save Kagome.

"Yo." Kakashi said in a carefree way, still holding two struggling ninjas in a headlock under each arm.

"But-!" Naruto babbled out with a confused expression, and turned his head. He looked at where Kakashi once was, but there was only shredded pieces of log there.

Kagome chuckled slightly. _'I was right….. Kakashi would never let himself die so easily…' _she had placed her two cents on him hiding somewhere as he was supposedly 'ripped apart' before. Kilala mewed happily a few times and ran around Kakashi before perching up on Kagome's shoulder.

Kakashi walked over to them all while dragging the nin. "Sasuke, Sakura, well done. Especially you Kagome." He directed most of his praise to Kagome. Kagome nodded.

Kilala mewed sadly and Kagome pet her. "You did well too, Kilala." Kagome praised. The cat mewed and rubbed against her cheek. Sasuke couldn't help but think how cute it looked as he watched from the corner of his eye.

Wait…cute?

Naruto stood up and glanced at her. "Kagome….you're hurt." He gasped. Sasuke immediately looked in her direction.

Kagome glanced down at her right shoulder and noted that some blood had trailed down her arm from her shoulder, some blood staining the black shirt.

She closed her eyes and 'hmph'ed, her bangs bounced from her grunt rattling her body, crossing her arms. She turned her head away. "I'm fine."

Kakashi shook his head. "No, you're not. There was poison in those claws. You can't move around too much."

Sakura pretended to look worried as she gave a fake pout,

"That means she will have to go back to Konoha and we have to continue it without her." even though on the inside she was smirking.

Kagome sent her a harsh glare and snapped, "Keh. I'm fine." She was being stubborn. Sasuke walked over and grabbed her unwounded arm, making Sakura flinch at the sight.

"No. You need go back, now. I'll take you there." He said firmly. Kagome tried yanking her arm away, but Sasuke held on tightly. "Let go." she hissed out, her tone sounding slightly annoyed.

She struggled some more against his grip. "I'M FINE!" she hissed, now getting annoyed. Kilala mewed in protest. Kakashi came over and examined her shoulder as she was struggling against Sasuke. His eyes widened slightly.

There was no wound.

"Kagome….you're healed." Kakashi stated. Everyone else said 'Huh?' at the same time. Kagome broke free from Sasuke and turned away. "Told you…" she muttered.

'_Something about her isn't right…' _Sasuke suspiciously thought to himself, staring at the girl.

Kakashi tied up the two ninjas to a tree and they all surrounded them.

"Tazuna." Tazuna jumped up as Kakashi's voice was stern, with the jonin's back faced him. This didn't look good for him.

"What…?" Tazuna answered, his voice lowered slightly.

"These are jonin from the village hidden in the mist. I suspected their main target is _you _as I watched them fight." Tazuna's head dropped, his eyes stared at the ground.

"This is a job for a B rank mission only, not C. Genin shouldn't have their lives on the line for this, even if it's just protecting." Kakashi said, his voice sounded disappointed towards Tazuna.

"I'm sorry." Tazuna replied, his tone sounding guilty. Kakashi decided to go easy on him and just nodded understandingly.

Naruto shook his head furiously and drew a kunai, stabbing it into his hand. Everyone turned their attention to the boy, obviously shocked by his actions.

"Naruto! What are you doing!" Sakura screamed out in shock and worry. Kakashi stared at him with widened eyes, watching the blood drip through the kunai to the ground.

"On this wound in my hand, I vow to complete this mission and protect the bridge builder..." he looked at Kagome who watched him on the sidelines, her face impassive. Thinking about what happened before, he continued,

"I won't let anyone rescue me from danger anymore. By this oath I will not run away from battle!" he declared, with a smirk/smile on his face in determination. If not for his good nature, that smirk would've passed off as evil.

'_Naruto….' _Kagome thought, the lighting in her eyes shifted as she stared at his hand.

Naruto had withdrawn his hand and more blood came out. Too caught up in his moment, he didn't realize that Kakashi was next to him.

Kakashi crinkled his eyes to an upside down 'U' and spoke, "You might want to stop the bleeding now."

Naruto sweated profusely as he nervously looked down at his hand and, realizing what he just did, panicked with his arms flailing around with anime tears flying everywhere.

Naruto kept on crying 'I'm too young to die!' repeatedly and Kakashi held his hands up in front of him, trying to calm him down.

Kakashi took his hand and observed it. _'The wound, it's healed…' _he noted seeing there was nothing but blood. _'Just like Kagome's…' _

Kagome rubbed the back of her neck in awkwardness, seeing Naruto crying like a distressed five-year old who lost a toy.

'_Naruto…you never cease to amuse me in your moods…' _

Suddenly, Kagome felt her balance off slightly and she wobbled. Sasuke caught her before she could fall forwards. Kilala mewed in panic as she jumped off and stood next to her master.

"What's wrong?" Kagome could tell that his voice sounded worried. "I-I don't know…." She mumbled as he helped her slowly sit on the ground.

"Kagome, you need to rest. Some of the poison is still in your bloodstream. It will go away if you stop moving, but it will spread if you continue to move around." Kakashi pointed out, seeing her eyes had glazed over.

"No." Kagome shakily stood up while supporting herself on Sasuke. She took a step before collapsing in Sasuke's arms again. Sasuke looked at her with worry, even though it was not quite shown on his face. Kilala was just about ready to transform and carry her.

"Kagome, how are you going to walk if you have the-" Naruto started but he was cut off.

"I'll carry her." Sasuke spoke up, not wanting to listen to any protests. Kilala mewed quizzically, cocking her head.

Sakura's eyes were filled with horror, feeling her stomach twist up in a knot. _'WHAT!'_

Kakashi sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing against the Uchiha. "Fine. But don't jostle her too much." Sasuke nodded and, with the help of Naruto, got Kagome on his back. Sasuke walked slowly behind them all with Naruto by his side. Kilala jumped on Sasuke's head.

Kagome shifted uncomfortably and Sasuke turned his head towards her. "Just hang in there. It'll go away soon." He said, trying to provide some comfort.

Naruto blinked at Sasuke's kindness. Why did he act so nice to her?

Naruto's head perked up and he smirked secretly at Sasuke knowingly. _'Sasuke likes Kagome!' _he thought deviously.

Now he had a reason to taunt Sasuke…

* * *

"The fog is so thick…" Sakura whispered, viewing the whole area of the lake clouded by a thick layer of mist.

The whole time they were on the small boat the squad, Tazuna, and the boat rower were quiet. The only thing that could be heard was the small waves and the creaking of the oar as it gently pushed against the water.

Kagome was leaned over the edge of the boat sitting on her knees, her arms on the sides and her head rested on them; was bored yet still alert, as usual. The poison she had went away hours ago as they got on the boat. Kilala was staring at the water, her head moving back and forth searching for fish in the water.

"Our destination isn't far now." The boat keeper said in a voice hushed just slightly above a whisper. "The Land of Waves is nearby just ahead."

A wooden docking port was seen in a faded image through the mist as the boat floated near it.

It looked big enough only to dock large boats, so compared to it they looked like ants. As the image cleared up slightly, it showed it being a construction area.

The boat keeper hissed at Naruto to be quiet as he exclaimed how large the area was.

"Why do you think we're traveling like this? Cutting off the engine and rowing?" he continued to scold the blonde, his voice sounded angry but still lowered.

Indeed, they were on an engine boat despite the fact it was being forwarded by a long paddle.

"Mr. Tazuna. I have to ask you something before we reach the end." Kakashi spoke to Tazuna who stared blankly ahead, his eyes hidden beneath his triangular hat **(2)**.

"If you don't answer. I will drop this mission as we reach ashore." Kakashi said in a tone slightly threatening only verbally, not implying any physical harm to come. Kakashi's patience was waring thin.

Tazuna nodded without saying anything.

Tazuna lifted his head up and spoke, "As I remember, you were right when you said this is not a C ranked mission…" all the ninjas listened intently. Kagome did listen even though she wasn't looking back.

"My life is being threatened by a man who strikes fear into the villagers of the Land of Waves." Tazuna stated simply, even though it sounded lame. Kakashi raised a visible eyebrow. "Who is it?"

"You may have heard his name before. He is one of the richest men in the world. The shipping business man, Gato." Tazuna finished his sentence gravely.

Kagome shot her head up immediately.

Kakashi's eyes widened. "Gato? Of all people? But why?"

"You…." Tazuna looked in Kagome's direction, who had a shocked expression on her face. "He's sent jonin to assassinate you, hasn't he?"

Tazuna was surprised. Kakashi and the others stared at her in confusion. "Yes…but…how did you know?" Tazuna asked the girl curiously.

They all noticed the expression changed in her eyes abruptly. She snapped her head away. She stared at the water at her rippling reflection for a long time.

Naruto blinked a few times.

She turned her head slightly. "That's none of your concern." She finished, her voice lowered.

Silence.

Kilala sadly looked at Kagome and placed a small paw against her leg, shaking it as she mewed.

"Kagome-chan…" Naruto spoke, his voice sounded so confused and saddened. He had thought Kagome came to trust them by now and would tell.

Sakura said nothing. Sasuke's eyes were still slightly widened curiously.

"Gato is in a company, but he uses ruthless methods to control the nations and all businesses with his group of assassins such as ninjas and gangs.

It was a year ago when Gato focused on the Land of Waves. He took control of our island and our businesses every since. Anyone who stood in his way…had 'disappeared'."

"Despite all this, the only thing he fears is the bridge completing to join the land together, which will make him lose his control. He can kill anyone else even if they don't get in his way, just for his enjoyment."

"I'm the only one who can complete the bridge. That's why he's trying to kill me…."

He glanced at all of them individually. "The village is poor. We didn't have enough money to afford a B rank mission. I didn't expect things to go this far."

Sasuke spoke, "So those two we fought….they must have been part of Gato's group of assassins." Tazuna nodded. Tazuna added through the silence, "If I die, I'm sure my daughter and grandson would be blaming you for my death and the rest of the village will put you responsible for the discontinuation of the bridge."

Kakashi sweatdropped, seeing there was no point in arguing with that. "Well…I suppose we could continue the mission."

"Thank you very much." Tazuna said, relief flooding his senses.

Kagome continued to stare at the water. _'Gato….that man….who murdered my family. I finally have my chance…to avenge them!'_ She stared out in front of her determinedly.

The boat slowed down a little bit as the boat keeper stopped rowing. "We're here." He said simply. Everyone looked up front to see a tunnel up ahead.

Once at the other side, Kakashi and the others stepped off the boat, making a creaking noise on the moderately thin wood as they stepped on the platform.

Kagome trailed behind them all as they walked in a forestry area, hands in her pockets and she soaked in the environment. _'No doubt something bad will happen, I just know it...' _She brought her head up and looked ahead.

Kagome resisted the urge to face-palm herself as she watched the stupidity of what went on between Naruto and Sasuke ahead; a who-can-walk-faster-and-look-better competition, obviously. _'Idiots…'_

Naruto threw a kunai at a bush reflexively as he heard something. Naruto tried giving a smile of victory even though there was nothing there. Tazuna saw through his act and yelled furiously, "STOP TRYING TO SCARE ME!"

Kagome's eyes shifted while sensing something to the other side, and Naruto threw a kunai in that direction. Sakura ran up and punched the back of his head, "Stop it, Naruto!"

Whining, Naruto complained, "Something really is following us, I swear!"

"Yea, right!"

"I'm serious!"

Kilala jumped off Kagome's shoulder and walked past them and near the bush and observed it closely as they still bickered in the background. She mewed for her master and Kagome walked up, blinking a few times at the sight.

"Um…" Kagome muttered, staring at the thing that was there. A white rabbit…that looked like it nearly had a heart attack.

Sakura gasped. "NARUTO! Look what you DID!" she yelled angrily, pointing at the rabbit being picked up by Kagome.

Naruto ran over, "I'm so sorry little white rabbit! I'm sorry!" he kept on whining to the rabbit Kagome held.

Kakashi focused on the rabbit, as well as Kagome. _'A snow rabbit. The color…' _Kakashi thought.

'_Snow rabbit's fur only change to white during the wintertime.' _Kagome's thought continued the same sentence Kakashi had.

Kagome handed the rabbit to Naruto and walked to the center of the small area. She glanced at every inch of the surrounding trees. There was definitely something not right…

A twig snapped. As if on cue.

Kagome took her boomerang charm from her bracelet, instantly it grew full size. Everyone looked at her confused. "Kagome! What are—" Sakura yelled. Her exclaim was cut short as Kagome threw it in their direction.

"HIRAKOTSU!"

They all thought she had gone insane at first, but then were more shocked when the boomerang had went over their heads and blocked a large sword that nearly cut off their heads!

The sword had bounced away and hit a tree. Someone landed on the hilt of the sword, the person's back facing towards them all.

Kagome kept her eye on the man incase he tried anything sneaky and put her boomerang charm back on her bracelet. Naruto stood a few feet away from her, exclaiming in amazement, "Nice reflex Kagome-chan!" Kilala growled viciously at the man.

Kakashi looked up the tree. "If it isn't Zabuza Momochi, from the village hidden in the mist." Kakashi spoke up as if he read this person like a book.

This 'Zabuza' person had short black hair and brown eyes. He shirtless and he wore camo armbands and matching leg protectors, which covered some of the lower part of his striped blue pants, and a headband slightly slanted down his forehead. Some bandages were wrapped around his face, making it look like a mask.

Naruto was ready to attack him, but Kagome held out an arm in front of him. Naruto looked at her, _'Why?' _

Naruto decided to shut up, feeling a new aura radiating off of the girl. Even from looking at her back, her stance showed that she looked serious.

"Kakashi of the Sharingan eye, am I right?" Zabuza spoke, his voice sounded so amusingly deadly. Sakura gulped inaudibly.

Sasuke held his breath that moment. _'But only certain members of the Uchiha clan possess the Sharingan...' _

"Give me the old man, and I may not kill you." The bandages shifted under his face, which made them swear they could see a smirk underneath it.

"Everyone. Protect Tazuna. Now is the time to use your teamwork." Kakashi ordered all the genin, who nodded in and stood around Tazuna. They drew their kunai/shuriken and Kagome drew both her katanas out from their sheaths.

Kakashi lifted his headband and revealed the eye that had been hidden beneath. The iris was pure red, the black pupil was surrounded by three tomoes.

"What is that?" Naruto said confusingly, not knowing what it was.

"The sharingan. They're very rare. They are able to see and copy a person's jutsus." Kagome explained, narrowing a long explanation down to have him understand it easier.

Mist suddenly appeared from nowhere and blanketed the area, hiding Zabuza.

"Don't let your guard down." Kakashi informed, his stance lowering just a little.

Kagome focused her senses for any noise that can be heard or charka that can be sensed.

Kakashi's form faded as the mist became thicker. Sakura was about to cry out, but Kagome hissed lowly, "Don't you say a word. Kakashi's still around."

It was eerily quiet, the agony of not knowing what might happen made it feel like hours had past instead of minutes. It was enough to drive them over the edge with insanity with the tension filling the air.

"8 areas." Zabuza's cold voice echoed. Everyone searched for the source.

"Legs…spine...lungs…liver…jugular…artery…kidneys...heart…where will I strike first?" Sakura felt her spine vibrate from the tone of his voice, how low and murderous it rolled off.

Kagome narrowed her eyes slightly, not quite affected by his threatening statement. She's heard worse.

A blue wave spread, blowing away the mist that surrounded them, with Kakashi standing in front of them all a few feet away with his middle and index finger pointed in a sign.

Sasuke felt overwhelmed with some fear, feeling the intensity of the Sharingan's power. Kakashi must have sensed it because he spoke, "Don't worry. I'll protect you all with my life. I won't let my comrades die."

Kagome was awed by his words. He sounded determined...yet calm. Kakashi turned with a reassuring expression and a smile. "Trust me."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at his carefree smile._ 'That doesn't mean I will allow you to die for my sake.' _

"I wouldn't be so sure." Zabuza's voice echoed. Instantly, Zabuza's form appeared in the middle of their formation. Kakashi ran towards them.

"It's over." Zabuza stated and swung his sword at Tazuna.

Kagome reacted quicker and used both her katanas to stop the giant sword that almost struck Tazuna. Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura grabbed the old man and jumped away. Kagome called out, "Kilala! Help them protect Tazuna!" and charged at Zabuza.

Kagome threw him off and swung her swords at Zabuza. As elite as the man was, Zabuza dodged and blocked all the strikes; he was even surprised at how forceful her attacks were.

'_She's not like the others.' _Zabuza noted her skills as he nearly avoided a swing to his neck. Kagome disappeared. _'Even genin shouldn't be this advanced. This girl can't be human.' _

Zabuza hunched over as a sword embedded in his stomach. Liquid flowed down the blade and onto the ground. _'This girl is quick.' _

'Zabuza' happened to be a clone since he had turned into water after Kagome retracted her blade.

A kunai was held against her throat. Everyone gasped and Sasuke's eyes widened. Kagome turned her head towards Zabuza behind her, the tip of the kunai poking against her throat. "You're first."

Kakashi was quicker and was able to hand-chop Zabuza's neck before he could have slit her throat. It was another water clone.

Sasuke came to an instant painful realization. Kagome could've been dead by then and he just stood there, doing nothing. He clenched his fists tightly.

Kakashi was sliced in half by a sword from another Zabuza behind him. But 'Kakashi' turned into water. Zabuza's eyes widened, _'He copied my jutsu!' _

"Now it's over." Kakashi said, holding a kunai against his throat. They all felt relieved, but Kagome sensed something wrong.

'_This guy can't be defeated this easily.' _Kagome inquired to herself.

Zabuza started chucking darkly, yet it held a hint of humor. Kakashi tightened the grip on his kunai, slightly off track of what Zabuza was chuckling for and sensed something bad.

Kagome's ears perked and she yelled, "Kakashi, it's a trap!"

"Smart girl." Zabuza said from behind Kakashi. The other Zabuza had been a mere clone once again. Kakashi's eyes widened as he looked back.

Kakashi dodged and dived into the lake, anticipating the fatal blow Zabuza threw. Following, Zabuza jumped in the water as well.

Kakashi surfaced, his hair now limp as it hung low dripping with water. Kakashi looked at the water. _'This water isn't normal…it's heavy.' _

Zabuza phased behind Kakashi and performed rapid hand signals.

"Water prison jutsu!"

Naruto and Sakura gasped seeing their sensei enveloped by a water sphere. _'No!' _Kakashi thought horrified as he couldn't feel his body move in the dome. He was helpless now.

"This may be water, but it is stronger than steel." Zabuza chuckled. One hand held the dome in place, the other sheathed the sword on his back.

"I'll finish you off later..." Zabuza looked back at the others.

"But first. Your little friends will have to die…Water clone jutsu!" he used a free hand to perform a simple hand signal and another copy of him formed from the water.

"Kuso**…(3)**" Kagome swore under her breath.

The clone stepped onto the surface and disappeared, the fog thickening again.

Naruto looked around frantically, not sure where this guy may strike him. He felt a sting and felt flying away forcefully, landing on the ground painfully.

"Fools." Zabuza stepped out from the mist.

Kagome looked back and forth between the two Zabuzas.

"Listen to me! You have to take Tazuna and run as far as you can! The clone can't get far from the real body since he's using most of his charka to hold me in here!" Kakashi yelled out.

Kagome's eyes narrowed intensely, she grit her teeth so hard it nearly made them break. "No…I won't run." she hissed in a low tone.

Kakashi and everyone else looked at her as her expression turned to pure rage.

"As if I run….AND LEAVE YOU HERE TO DIE!" Kagome roared and readied her swords, as the scene showed her charge at Zabuza's clone in slow motion.

* * *

"Sir, we have some news."

A short man with a coffee mug in his hand turned to some ninjas from his seat. "What do you want?"

"This concerns the Higurashi clan you killed."

"What about it?"

The ninja straightened his stance and cleared his throat, "Well…it seems that we had not killed everyone."

The sound of glass breaking was heard.

There was now shards of the mug and spilt coffee on the floor in front of the man's feet as he shot up, yelling, "What!" The ninja handed some files to the midget and he jerked them away, reading them over.

"It seems that there is one girl who lives in the village of Konoha under the name Higurashi. We've traced all files and she's the only one we've found. Her ninja identification matches her picture." He handed a picture of the girl.

Eyes scanned the documents, then to the picture, then to the documents. He looked up and snapped, "Why wasn't I informed about this!"

"These files were not shown up until recently. We had not known there was another member in the family."

The short man threw the documents on the table and started pacing, stroking his chin.

He hummed thoughtfully, muttering "I see…" and sat back in his chair. He glared at all the ninjas. "Then I order this girl to be exterminated immediately. She is now considered a threat against me!"

* * *

With widened eyes and mouth agape, Kagome hunched over with a chunk of blood spilling from her mouth and onto the ground.

A fist was buried in her stomach and she shook visibly at the pain. Zabuza retracted his fist and Kagome fell to her knees, clutching her stomach with both her hands.

She coughed up more blood on the ground violently. Zabuza took out his sword. Kagome looked up, and her eyes widened. She flung her body to the side before the sword could have stabbed her as it plunged in the ground.

Her swords laid on the ground a few yards away and she couldn't get to them with the clone in the way.

Zabuza retracted it and swung it at her again multiple times. There was about 10 heavy swings thrown and Kagome had received 7 out of the 10. She had large gashes on her arms, legs and one huge wound across her stomach, about as thick as a thumb and it ran across from hip to hip.

A large puddle of blood formed beneath her shaky form. She was loosing too much blood. Her vision was blurring. Kagome's body collapsed onto the ground as she felt her legs numb out.

Zabuza's sword was right above her head as he was ready to finish her.

Naruto gasped and reached into his bag. He had to do something, quick, without a plan in mind. "Sasuke! Catch!" Naruto quickly yelled out, taking out something from his backpack and throwing it at him since he was the closest to the clone.

Sasuke quickly caught it.

"DEMON WIND SHURIKEN!" he threw the unfolded oversized shuriken at the clone. The clone didn't realize and it was hit, turning into water. Then it went towards the real Zabuza.

Zabuza's eyes widened amusingly as the shuriken came towards his real self. He jumped and the shuriken flew away.

Naruto gasped as he dodged it, Kakashi thinking, _'Damnit! I have to get out of this!_' he tried struggling against his water prison, with no avail.

Zabuza smirked. "It's over, little kids." He declared confidently, as another clone was ready to attack the fear-stricken genin.

Something cut through the clone, which made it turn into water, and aimed at Zabuza.

"What is that!" he yelled out in his own shock. He was forced to break the prison, releasing Kakashi, to dodge the incoming object that nearly took his arm off.

A giant boomerang.

It retreated and stabbed into the ground.

They all looked back, only to see Kagome hunched over with her arm still outstretched from throwing it, the other holding her stomach.

Her form still shook visibly and blood dripped from her wounds and mouth, splattering on the ground as well as her clothes.

She let out a chuckle beneath her exhausted breaths she took in. "N-never...u-underestimate…me …" she stuttered and her eyes fluttered as she fell forward to the ground slowly.

THUMP!

"Kagome!" Naruto cried and Sasuke rushed to her side. Tazuna kneeled on her other side. Kagome coughed and more blood came out, as she weakly said, "I'm fine…just…a few scratches…." She smirked with false apprehension.

Sasuke didn't buy it. Her condition….he didn't even want to think what might happen to her at this rate. She slowly sat up with the help of Sasuke.

Kilala mewed rapidly and placed both paws against her arm in panic.

Zabuza drew his sword and charged at them.

Kilala turned and growled fiercely, her furs bristling as the man got closer. A large flame engulfed the cat and everyone else but Kagome were utterly shocked as the fire cleared up.

The cute little neko **(4) **they were so used to seeing was five times as big as it normally was, except it looked more ferocious with its large fangs sticking out and sharp claws with fire surrounding its tail and feet.

Kilala roared and flew at the shocked Zabuza, biting his leg and drawing blood. Zabuza struggled and freed his leg that had nearly been ripped off and swung his sword at the giant neko.

Kakashi interfered and caught the sword with a hand, the blade digging into his palm and blood dripped out.

Zabuza jumped and stood over the water, as did Kakashi and they started performing the same hand signs while saying rapid words for each one. As they both continued, their voices mirrored each other's chants in harmony with their rapid hand signs.

With one final hand sign, they both shouted at the same time,

"TORU! WATER STYLE: WATER DRAGON JUTSU!"

Both water dragons formed from the water and they clashed against each other.

"Impossible!" Zabuza yelled out in disbelief.

Kakashi performed more rapid hand signs and finished by pointing his middle and index fingers up on both hands and placing them together. His sharingan concentrated and the tomoes swirled around his pupils.

'_What!' _Zabuza recognized this technique.

"WATER STYLE: GIANT VORTEX JUTSU!"

Water circled in front of Kakashi. Then, a huge mass of water shot out from the portal and at Zabuza, engulfing him completely and wiped out some trees. Once the water level dropped, Zabuza was shown slumped against a tree trying to catch his breath.

Kakashi stood on the branch above him and drew a kunai, ready to finish him off.

But needles had shot from the side and hit Zabuza's neck, finishing the job for him. With a choked gasp and a shudder, Zabuza's head hung limply; he was dead.

Everyone, even Kakashi was surprised at the sudden surprise attack. Kakashi looked at another tree nearby.

A young man no older than Naruto stood on a branch, wearing a mask with red stripes across the front, hair tied into a bun with bangs hanging out in front of his face and a green haori.

Kakashi jumped from his branch next to Zabuza's dead body and checked his pulse. "He's dead…" He looked at the boy.

The child bowed politely. "Thank you." He said, his voice sounding as smooth as silk. "I have been tracking Zabuza for a while and waiting for this chance to finally kill him."

Kilala growled lowly and walked over to her master, licking her cheek affectionately. When Kagome smiled, Kilala mewed contently and transformed into her smaller form.

Kakashi nodded before speaking, "You must be a hunter nin from the village of the mist. I can tell by your mask."

The boy nodded.

'_But he seems to be the same age as Naruto...he's no ordinary boy, what is he…?' _Kakashi noted the boy's calm yet slightly elevated voice, which meant he had not hit puberty yet.

Kagome tried standing up but failed badly and slumped to the ground. Sasuke quickly ran over and helped her into a standing position. She brushed him off as soon as she was able to handle herself. Sasuke stood beside her just in case she looked like she was ready to fall again and he would be able to catch her.

Naruto was about to attack the masked nin but Sakura stopped him. "Naruto, don't. He's not our enemy. He's specially trained to hunt down rogue ninja like Zabuza and eliminate them."

"Correct. I'm one of the few trackers from the village hidden in the mist. It was my mission to stop Zabuza in the first place. But then you all seemed to have come in…"

Naruto ran in and pointed at the boy, "Hey! How is it that we had a hard time trying to defeat him when only you took him out in just one strike!" he shouted angrily. Kakashi walked and stood beside Naruto.

"Naruto. Believe it or not there are other children that are younger than you yet…they are stronger than me." He said with a small smile as he shifted his eyes to Kagome briefly and ruffled the blonde's hair.

Haku disappeared from his spot, right next to Zabuza's body by wind swirling around him. He hoisted the body over his shoulder and spoke,

"This body holds many secrets and I cannot allow them to get into the wrong hands. Your worries are over now. I will deal with the rest." then disappeared with the wind.

Kakashi slid the headband over his eye and looked back at them. "We should get going now."

Everyone nodded and started walking. Kagome stopped midstep and Kakashi noticed. He stopped and asked, "Kagome…are you alright? Kagome…Kagome?"

She didn't seem to hear him. Her mind felt numb and hazy, her vision blurring back and forth, and her eyes started closing. She let out an exhausted sigh and she felt her world spin as she rocked on her heels backwards.

The last thing she saw was everyone a few feet away looking at her in concern as someone started running towards her, hearing Naruto's voice shouting, "Someone catch her, I think she's gonna-!"

Feeling someone catch her, she blacked out.

What she didn't know was that Sasuke had been the one to catch her.

Kakashi's face grew stern as he checked her pulse. "She's lost too much blood. We can't continue the mission like this."

Tazuna walked up behind him and said, "She can rest when we get to my house back at the village." They never expected hospitality from him.

Kakashi nodded and was about to pick up Kagome, but Sasuke beat him to it. He lifted Kagome in his arms, her head lolling against his shoulder and her blood stained his clothes. Not that he cared.

"Alright. Let's go then." Kakashi stated and started walking, them following behind. Then, something happened.

Everyone gasped in horror as Kakashi fell to the ground.

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!" Naruto's voice echoed through the forest and some birds scattered from the trees.

* * *

**Uhhh…yea...*scratches head* not sure what I have to say about this chapter. But I hope you guys enjoyed it…because I know I did a lousy job this chapter...(I need more self-esteem…heh) **

**Sayonara!**

**(1) '****Stupid', 'Moron', or 'Idiot' in Japanese.**

**(2) Don't know what they're called….**

**(3) 'Damn','sh*t', 'f*ck,' anything like that in Japanese.**

**(4) **'**Cat' in Japanese.**


	4. Ch 4: Climbing trees and Discoveries

**Thank you everyone who had the courtesy to review my last chapter. You guys are the ones that motivate me to write. **

**This chapter seems cheesy to me. I tried to keep the characters…in character…but I had to make this chapter work this way o.o".**

**Warning: Some Sakura bashing. I'll see how it goes.**

**-AU so however the story goes, IT GOES LIKE THAT…**

Summary: After friends and family are killed, Kagome dies and is reborn into the Naruto world; but with some deadly secrets. She attends the Ninja academy and joins team 7 as a new life begins for her. But what happens when everything from Kagome's past returns for her…? AU

Pairing: Sasuke/Kagome

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Kakashi opened his eyes tiredly. He noted he wasn't in a forest, but now in a room lying on a mat.

"Awake are you?" A lady with bluish-black hair said as she walked in. "My name's Tsunami."

Naruto and Sakura came in and looked relieved to see their sensei was awake. Tazuna also came in a minute later.

"Kakashi-sensei, are you feeling any better?" Naruto asked. Kakashi nodded and sat up, placing a hand on his head tiredly. "Yes. Just overused my Sharingan and it was too much for me."

Sakura kneeled down next to him and inquired, "You shouldn't use it if it puts too much on you. You really scared us there."

Kakashi spotted Kagome on a mat a few feet away, still unconscious. What quite surprised him was that Sasuke sat by her side while staring at her.

Kakashi looked to the others and spoke up. "I'm afraid I have to come to a bad start."

Everyone was confused, even Sasuke listened in.

"It seems Zabuza is still alive."

Everyone except for the woman's face turned to disbelief and Naruto yelled, "IMPOSSIBLE! How can you say something just like that? You said he was dead when you checked him!"

"First of all, if he's a tracker nin, he should've disposed of the body immediately instead of taking it away. Second, those weapons the tracker used were senbon needles. They kill people sometimes, but not all the time. That gave the tracker the chance to save Zabuza…" Kakashi said gravely.

Tazuna face was twisted with fear, while stuttering, "A-Are you sure you aren't overreacting?" Kakashi nodded. Sasuke shot his head towards where Kagome was now stirring. Kagome's eyes fluttered opened and glanced at Sasuke for a moment, then to Kakashi.

"I heard everything, Kakashi. You don't need to repeat it." Kagome said tiredly. Kakashi gave a small smile and nod, before continuing, "Alright then. We'll begin our training b—" his sentence was cut short.

"What's the point in training? You're all as good as dead anyway!" a voice piped from the doorway. A raven-haired little boy wearing a striped hat with green overalls stood at the doorway. He looked mad.

Tazuna chuckled, "Inari, it's good to see you!" and the boy's expression slightly lightened when he saw him. "Grandpa! Welcome home!" he ran over and hugged him.

Tsunami walked over and scolded him with her hands on her hips in a motherly tone, "Inari that was rude! These people brought your grandfather here safely!"

"It's okay, I'm rude to them too." Tazuna said with a smile. Inari's eyes shifted to the ninjas and he glanced at them all. He looked at his mother. "Mom, don't you see? They're all going to die!"

Naruto, obviously now mad, shot up and yelled, "What'd you say, you brat?"

Sakura tried calming Naruto down. Kagome stared at the boy's expression. He was mad, yes, but underneath it there was something hidden underneath his expression.

He must have had a hard past.

Kilala walked in the room and then ran to Kagome, seeing that she was awake, and licked her cheek.

Tsunami squealed at the neko's cuteness and couldn't resist grabbing her and squeezing her like a plush.

"KAWAII **(1)**!" she cried out and Kilala struggled against her in protest.

Kagome chuckled a little and asked Tsunami for her neko before she could squeeze the life out of it and petted Kilala as she got her back, the poor cat trying to regain its breath.

"You should go back from where you came from if you want to live." Inari spoke bitterly and walked towards the door. "Where are you going Inari?" Tazuna asked.

"To look out at the ocean. Just leave me alone." Inari left.

They didn't know, however, that Inari was, instead, crying in his room as he held a picture of someone while he kept muttering 'Daddy, why?'

Naruto was there and heard from outside the room. Naruto's expression dropped. He understood then.

**Later…**

Kakashi led them out to the forest while on crutches. He was going to be like that for a while.

"We're going to start training right now. Let's review about chakra." Kakashi said.

Naruto scratched his head cluelessly as he dumbly asked, "Uh….yea…what is that again?"

Sakura started, trying to act smart, "Well, first of all chakra is—"

But Kagome intervened before she could bash on Naruto, "Chakra is the basic energy source for all jutsu's, both physical and spiritual." Sakura scowled at her.

Kakashi nodded. "Correct. You must train very hard and put your life on the line."

Sakura sighed tiredly. "What do we have to do?" Kakashi crinkled his eyes to an upside down 'U'. "Climb a tree. But the catch: you can't use your hands."

Naruto blinked stupidly and Sakura was just as confused as he was. "Is this a joke?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi smiled. He limped with his crutches and, without any effort, walked up the tree and upside down a branch. Everyone awed in surprise.

"Just focus the chakra through the soles of your feet and use it to connect to the tree. First run to the tree to focus the momentum and you will get used to it. Ready? Go!" Kakashi called down to them.

Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto did a hand sign and focused as blue energy formed under their feet. Kagome stood there silently and Kakashi raised an eyebrow seeing her not doing anything.

Naruto ran towards a tree and took a few steps up before he fell to the ground. Sasuke was able to get halfway up before he fell; but unlike Naruto, he regained his landing on the ground.

"This is easy!"

Everyone shot their heads up to see pinkie already sitting on a branch in a tall tree. She smiled and Naruto shouted, "Way to go, Sakura!"

"Well done, Sakura." Kakashi praised the girl. She looked to Sasuke, expecting a compliment from him.

Sasuke looked away grumpily and Sakura felt hurt. She hung her head sadly, _'I thought Sasuke would be impressed with me…but now I made him mad at me….'_

Kakashi looked around. "Where did Kagome go?"

"Here."

Everyone looked around for the source of the voice. They couldn't seem to find her…

"I'm up here!"

They looked up and were surprised. Kagome was reading a book calmly and her hair sprawled out underneath her as she hung upside down a branch on a tree that was twice as high as the one Sakura was on. They might have just assumed that she had climbed it without breaking a sweat.

"WOW! That's so cool, Kagome-chan!" Naruto praised Kagome, more than he did to Sakura. Kakashi smiled underneath his mask. "Amazing. Very impressive, Kagome! It's seems the female members of the squad can control chakra well."

Sasuke couldn't help but let out a small smile. Sakura noticed it, even from a distance. _'I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!' _Inner Sakura thought hotly, as Sakura sent a harsh glare in Kagome's direction.

Little did they all know was that Inari had been watching them from behind a tree. He scoffed quietly and walked way. "What a waste of time…" he muttered.

Kagome sighed and jumped from the branch, performing some flips before landing on the ground gracefully without looking up from her book.

'_Impressive…' _Sasuke mused.

'_Show off…' _Sakura thought annoyingly. She was jealous of Kagome since she was everything she wasn't.

Kagome walked away wordlessly.

* * *

**At the construction area…**

Sakura yawned tiredly.

"So where is the blonde kid and the other one with the attitude?" Tazuna asked Sakura after she had yawned.

"They're still training, trying to climb trees. I was the best so I'm here to protect you." Sakura replied, brushing her bangs out of her face.

Tazuna scoffed which caused Sakura to glare. "You, I don't believe. _Her—_" he pointed to Kagome who sat on the railing facing the water, "—I can believe."

Sakura scowled and replied hotly, "Oh yea, what's wrong with me?"

Tazuna carried some blocks of metal and replied simply, "She's more alert than you are. Not as lazy either."

'_I'm still a lot better than her, CHA!' _Inner Sakura thought, her vein-popping fist shaking.

Kagome stared a the water as Kilala was sitting on her shoulder, watching some birds that flew from the distance.

Another construction builder who was helping Tazuna walked over and started talking to him silently. Kagome couldn't help but catch on a few words that they were saying,

"Tazuna, I've been thinking about the bridge. I don't want any part of it."

"You're serious?"

"Everyday I'm here, my life is always in danger because of Gato and his group of thugs."

Kagome glanced at them from the corner of her eye, passing Sakura's glares. They continued talking,

"We can still get out of this if we stop now."

"No. The land will remain poor until this bridge is built. We're building trade and hope, not just a bridge!"

"We might be dead before that can happen."

"Forget it…it's already time for lunch.." Tazuna muttered and walked away. Kagome blinked at Tazuna's retreating form.

'_I didn't know Tazuna cared so much for the village…'_Kagome thought, as she now took a whole different view on the man who was drunken and critical the first time she met him.

* * *

Kagome had left the bridge and Sakura had followed Tazuna to help him go grocery shopping.

She was training by herself, punching and kicking imaginary opponents so fast, her arms and legs were only a blur.

After 3 hours of training, she sat down against a tree, panting slightly. She wiped some sweat from her temple and stared at the sky.

The sun was setting over the horizon and the sky illuminated an orange glow with a hint of red.

At times like this, she would remember her past. Bad memories. Awful childhood.

She hugged her legs close to her chest, resting her chin on her knees. She recalled the voices from when she was little, people whispering and yelling at her to die or ask why she was still alive. 'Abomination' was their proper term for her.

She narrowed her eyes.

Kagome gazed at the sky.

It had gone dark.

* * *

"I haven't had so many guests over for a long time." Tazuna chuckled at the table.

Naruto and Sasuke were eating, more like shoving, food down as fast as they could; this could only mean another stupid competition. They both finished at the same time, asked for more and glared at each other, then puked up their food to the side.

Sakura slammed her bowl down and screamed, "DON'T EAT SO MUCH IF YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO PUKE IT!"

"Need more food….need to get stronger than Sasuke-teme..." Naruto muttered and ate the food again, as Sasuke and he continued to shove food down their mouths without even chewing.

Kagome took another bite of her rise, chewing it slowly as she watched them both shove and puke their food every few minutes. Kilala was happily eating fish out of a bowl that Kagome had given her.

Kakashi sweatdropped. "Eating food is one thing, but I don't think it'll help if you keep on throwing it up…"

After they had eaten, they were drinking tea as Tsunami cleaned the dishes. Sakura stared at a photo hanging on the wall that had a large torn area at the corner, one person not having a face on it. Sakura asked carelessly, "Why is this picture torn? Is there a reason for it?"

The three civilians remained quiet. A small tension filled the air.

Tsunami spoke quietly, still cleaning the dishes, "That's my husband…"

Tazuna's expression fell and he added, "They used to call him a hero…."

Inari jerked from his seat and left the room wordlessly, Tsunami worriedly following him after scolding her father.

"What…happened to Inari?" Sakura asked, not having the slightest clue what was going on. Tazuna explained that he wasn't Inari's real father, but treated him like one and made him happy. He also explained that he had been a hero to them all. Then he mentioned that he was killed by Gato and Inari became distant and unhappy.

Kagome stared at the door Inari left through. _'Another loved one...killed by Gato…'_

They understood, but Naruto had already somewhat knew but now knew the whole story.

Naruto shot up from his seat and collapsed on the ground before he could go anywhere. Kakashi knew that he was going to try and train and inquired, "Enough training for today. Rest for tonight since you used too much chakra. Don't go and trying to kill yourself."

Kagome didn't go to sleep that night. She went out and started to train herself, despite the fact she was injured.

As Kagome was training throughout the night somewhere, she only had thought, _'I need to get stronger! I have to beat Zabuza this time and kill Gato!'_

* * *

Morning came, and everyone sat at the table eating breakfast, but Kakashi noticed something missing.

Kakashi asked everyone, "Has anyone seen Kagome?" Everyone shook their heads cluelessly.

Kagome walked through a secluded area, kneeled down in front of a nearby lake, and looked at her reflection. She looked around to make sure nobody was around and took her shirt off, taking off the bandages that were wrapped around her.

The water's surface only showed the image of Kagome from her lower shoulders and up, as the rest of her body was hidden from the water's view. In the water's reflection, she noted that the previous wounds were gone. She was mostly healed.

She traced the scar on her left shoulder, still feeling the rough, indented spot beneath her fingertips. This fatal wound….for some reason it was there. She didn't know why. But all she knew was it could be fatal...

She put her shirt back on and continued wandering off.

She stared at the ground as she continued walking. Unconsciously her eyes shifted to the bracelet on her wrist. She noticed something missing as she brought it up and examined it. She cursed slightly.

"Damnit, I forgot Hirakotsu!" she ran in a random direction.

Kakashi continued, "I'm getting worried about her. She hasn't fully recovered her injuries."

Sasuke said to himself, "She's probably lying out there somewhere, dying…" He narrowed his eyes at his own words. He couldn't let that happen.

No, he _wouldn't _let that happen.

Sasuke stood up and started walking out, jamming his fists in his pockets. "I'm going for a walk…" he said quietly. Sakura said, "But we just started eating..." She looked at Sasuke's plate and her eye twitched. It was empty.

"That was quick…"

* * *

Kagome sat against a tree reading a book. Fortunately for her, she had found Hirakotsu still lying around the battlefield a while ago.

Kilala mewed as her ears perked and Kagome looked up from her book, hearing something as well. She saw someone walking towards her.

She noted that it was a boy who had an androgynous appearance; but he would've easily passed as a girl since he was wearing a pink kimono with wooden clogs and his raven hair was as long as Sakura's.

The boy glanced at her and stopped in his tracks. It seemed like there was a brief staring contest through the silence. The boy then continued walking and went past her.

The moment he came close, Kagome's eyes widened. Something about this boy was familiar to her.

She watch the boy disappear as he walked farther away, with a basket of herbs in hand. He didn't seem like a medic nin…

She stared in the direction he disappeared to for a few moments before continuing to read her book.

Sasuke walked in the forest just as he said he would and looked around. He looked ahead and saw someone coming up. It was the same boy Kagome saw earlier, but Sasuke didn't know that.

As soon as the boy brushed past him, Sasuke immediately felt something coming from him.

He glanced back briefly and then looked ahead. He was relieved, seeing Kagome sitting against a tree reading a book looking well and unharmed.

He stood over her and she looked up. "Hey Kagome. Did you forget about breakfast? Kakashi was concerned about you…" he hid the fact he was worried as well. Kagome shut her book and stood.

They both walked back together.

* * *

**Later…**

"Where'd that dobe run off to?" Sasuke muttered as he, Kakashi, and Sakura were searching for him. When he and Kagome got back, they discovered that he was gone and Kakashi had no idea where he went. Kagome and Kilala had gone to search elsewhere.

Sakura growled, "That idiot! He could be anywhere! I didn't even have the time to brush my hair…." She whined at the last part and rubbed her head that felt like a rat's nest. Sasuke rolled his eyes, thinking _'She's such a priss….Kagome's not like that…'_

A kunai landed in front of them, making them stop in their tracks. They looked up at who shot it.

Naruto was hanging off on top of a branch with a victory smile on his face.

"Naruto can climb that high?" Sakura said in awe. Kakashi stared at Naruto with interest. "Interesting…"

"Is this high enough for you guys? 'Cause this is a long way down!" Naruto gloated and Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He would have to get better than him now otherwise he would mock him for God-knows-how-long.

Naruto stood and stumbled. Everyone held their breaths in terror thinking he was going to fall off. Naruto had tricked them though, and he was now hanging upside down from the branch. Sakura was furious and Kakashi's expression turned to dull, thinking something bad would happen.

Naruto felt like he had this in the bag until…

Like suction cups, his feet released the branch of the tree and everyone was shocked. Sakura screamed, "YOU HAD TO PUSH IT, DIDN'T YOU?"

Naruto felt himself falling with a panicked expression on his face, screaming.

Then he felt like he had stopped falling.

He opened his eyes confusingly and noticed that he was hanging halfway down the tree by two arrows pierced through each of his arm sleeves.

Sasuke's eyes widened in interest and he looked to where it came from. Kagome appeared from the side of the clearing along with Kilala, with a bow in hand. "Naruto, you're so reckless." Kagome called out as she walked over to the others. Kilala mewed accusingly at Naruto, since she was tired.

"Kagome…that was impressive…" Kakashi said with a smile underneath his mask. Sasuke agreed completely with his statement. Her arrows were precise on target.

Sakura 'hmphed' and crossed her arms.

Naruto shouted from his spot in the trees as he kicked his legs blindly, "KAGOME! DO YOU MIND GETTING ME DOWN FROM HERE?"

Kagome sighed and strapped her bow on her back before running up the tree. She stood horizontally next to Naruto on the tree and yanked out the two arrows, grabbed his collar before he could fall, jumped and landed on the ground. She released Naruto and put her bow and arrows in her charm bracelet as they shrank.

Kakashi crinkled his eyes into an upside down 'U'. "By the time I'm done training you all, Kagome would probably be eligible enough to become a Hokage easily…or maybe she's probably ALREADY good enough to become one."

Naruto's head shot up and he pouted.

* * *

That night, everyone minus Naruto and Sasuke were at the dinner table as Tsunami placed some plates of rice in front of them. Kagome didn't have one since she decided to drink a cup of tea. Kilala was taking a nap somewhere else.

Kagome took another sip of her tea and Sakura asked worriedly, "Where's Sasuke? He's never been this late…."

Kagome opened an eye as her lips still touched the cup and looked towards the door, hearing it open.

"You two look like something the cat dragged in." Tazuna commented, seeing the two boys at the door.

Naruto and Sasuke looked slightly scratched up and they supported each other as they had come in. Naruto held a victorious smile on his face as he rasped out, "We made it….all the way to the top."

Kagome's eyes widened and then she said emotionlessly, "Congratulations." The team knew that she was happy for them, even if she wouldn't show it. They've never seen her show any sign of emotion since they became a team.

"Very good. Tomorrow you will be with us guarding Tazuna." Kakashi declared and they both fell over since had Naruto jumped slightly in excitement.

Sasuke said in an annoyed way, "Naruto, you loser!"

Everyone but Kagome and Inari laughed at the scene.

Just after the end of dinner, everyone drank tea at the table.

Tsunami spoke quietly, "I hope you will be careful tomorrow, father."

Tazuna nodded. He looked at the ninjas and said, "The bridge will be completed in just a couple of days. But I have to ask you something…."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. Tazuna glanced at the jonin questionably. "Why did you stay to help me even though I lied to bring you all here?"

Kakashi folded his hands and reply simply, "Those who stray from the path of justice are nothing but cowards. But under the wing of a strong leader, cowardice cannot survive….A quote stated by the first Hokage."

Inari glanced at Naruto who looked wiped out. Then to the others. Then he looked at Kagome across from where he sat, and for some reason his expression darkened when he saw her. Kagome had a calm expression on her face.

Kagome turned her head to him and said, "Tazuna, we could've abandoned you if we chose to. But I wouldn't have given up either way. If there was something I can do to save lives, I would do it without hesitation." and took another sip of her tea like there was no care in the world.

They all stared at her, apparently touched by her words. She was utterly calm, and the way she had said it made her sound so determined. They can see that Kagome was a kind person underneath her cold demeanor. She would give up her life for others she didn't even know.

Inari's expression darkened as he continued to stare at her face, which looked as impassive as ever. Which made him angrier. But her words…they sounded so familiar.

He then remembered his father. He hung his head low and his eyes watered.

"Why?" Inari's voice broke out, some tears streaming down his face. They all turned to look at him. "What?" Naruto asked him. Inari's hands shook from underneath the table.

He shot up and slammed his hands on the table, making the dishes clatter. They were all shocked by his actions. "All this stupid training is only a waste of time! Gato has a whole army out there, and he'll destroy you!" he yelled, his eyes harsh yet somewhat pleading.

Kagome stared at him sympathetically. She knew what he was going through. She shifted her eyes from the boy and stared at the table.

"No matter what you say or do, the strong always win and the weak always lose!"

Naruto glared and shouted, "This will be different this time, especially with me! Got it?"

Inari turned his glare at him and snapped, "Why don't you shut up? You're always so happy and go lucky, just looking at you makes me sick!" he then glared at Kagome and pointed at her.

"Especially YOU! Your words sound just as pathetic as others I have heard in my life! They're all meaningless! You're not doing anything for our country, not even one bit. You act so sure of yourself when you haven't suffered at all!"

He was pushing the wrong buttons. Especially Kagome's, since her expression was darkening with all of his words.

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LOSE SOMEONE YOU CARE ABOUT AND BE TREATED LIKE DIRT!" he finished, tears now fully streaming his cheeks.

Now, he had gone too far.

Kagome's hands shook as she held the cup in her hands. Naruto noticed her shaking hands, not feeling something good off of her. Her usual mood was darkening, but not like the other times. The other times, her moods held no malice.

This time…it felt dangerous.

"You think it's all about you…?" She spoke lowly.

Inari's face looked surprised at her words, hearing the bitterness beneath them. Everyone was watching Kagome, bewildered by her tone of voice. Kagome's eyes were hidden beneath her bangs as her hands continued to shake with the cup in her hands.

"Are you expecting us to _pity_ you?" her voice rose at her last statement. Sasuke's eyes were widened as he watched her lift her head slowly at the boy.

There was nothing but hurt and disappointment written in her eyes.

She gritted her teeth and slammed her cup on the table, nearly knocking over some dishes and shot up.

"You keep on complaining that you've suffered more than all of us! Why don't you stop acting like a spoiled brat and be grateful for what you have right _now_! You still have your family! You still have friends! You should be grateful because you don't know what it's like to lose EVERYONE YOU'VE CARED ABOUT!"She nearly felt her control slip at her outburst and refrained herself.

Silence.

Kagome looked at everyone, who stared at her. Realizing what she just did, she cursed herself for bursting out like that; letting her emotions wander freely. She slowly sat back down, proving her point.

Naruto's eyes were wide. "Kagome-chan…." he said sadly. Sasuke stared at her, his expression agape.

Kagome whipped her head away. "Keh..."

She got up and walked towards the door. "I'm going out for some air."

"Kagome-chan….are your family and friends dead?" Naruto asked. It was a stupid question, and he didn't know why he asked. He was careful about the way he said it though, since he didn't want to upset her more, and he knew how a subject like that can be sensitive to a person.

She hissed, "Shut up!."

Kagome stopped as she opened the door, silently standing there with her back faced towards them. A long pause before she spoke in a softer tone, quietly enough so only Naruto could hear it, "...they died a long time ago." Then she was gone, leaving them there staring at the door.

Naruto now understood what Kagome was going through. Emotional pain. Suffering. Loneliness.

Naruto glared at Inari and shouted,

"Why don't you listen to yourself whining and complaining? You act like you've lost everything, but Kagome…she's been through the worse of us! But she doesn't complain about it, does she? You can cry all you want, you're nothing but a coward!"

Inari stared from the door she left through and back to the table, thinking back on what he said, guiltily.

Kakashi sighed and closed his eyes. He knew about what Kagome went through. He knew about her family and friends. She didn't know though.

He had cared and raised Kagome when she was an infant. When she got a little older, she had told him about her family and friends. But she was about 6 years old when one day, she had fallen from a tree and hit her head, giving her amnesia. She had recovered some of her memories, but not all of them. She even forgot about him.

He got up from his table and followed Inari, who had left the table about a minute ago.

* * *

Inari sat outside staring at the water, the moon's rays casting a glow over it. Kakashi stood behind and said, "Can I talk to you?" Inari looked back silently at him.

Kakashi sat next to him and said, "You know, you're not the only one who's suffered. We've all suffered the same way you are right now.

In fact, Naruto never even knew his parents, and the whole village treated him like he was nothing...though I have never seen him cry about it…all he ever did was get into trouble to get people's attention. He wants to become Hokage to get some respect, for people to acknowledge him differently. You know...he just got so tired of crying, and wanted he to do something instead of sitting around and do nothing."

Inari glanced at him with watery eyes.

"What Naruto said back there about being a coward….as harsh as it may seem, he's probably told himself that a thousand times."

Inari looked back at the water, thoughtfully.

"Kagome, however….she's suffered more than all of us…"

Inari stared at Kakashi again.

Kakashi continued, "Kagome grew up without parents, just like Naruto. She was also treated like trash by the villagers...but she never cared of what everyone else thought of her, though. Unlike Naruto, she didn't have any friends. She always kept herself so secluded from everyone. In fact, anyone who asked her to be their friend, she would just turn them down…."

Inari's eyes widened as Kakashi went on. "The only reason why she's kept herself alone for so long is because she's just afraid of being hurt again. A long time ago, she had found out her family was dead and then watched her friends die...and after that...something inside her had just broke and made her like this..."

'_Is this for real…? Can someone really lose everything like that and still go on..?'_ Inari thought to himself.

Kakashi crinkled his eyes to an upside down 'U'. "Kagome once told me she got tired of being useless. She had told me that when she was younger than _you_. It may sound unbelievable even though she may be….harsh…but she's very courageous when it comes to other people, even if they may shun her.

She's willing to sacrifice for others. Putting your life on the line is a choice you have to take for yourself…and Kagome was willing to accept that…that's what motivates her to push herself beyond her limits for others when in battle and train harder…

It might be hard to believe, but even after all that, I have never seen her cry before. Not once. Right now, Naruto and Kagome are probably the only ones who understand you the most…."

Inari's eyes held so much shock, and he didn't know what to say. What could he say? This man had told him that the girl who he had angered was…fearless, courageous, and determined. She stayed strong even though she lost everything, and he had just lost only one thing.

It made him feel like a weakling…and a coward. Like Naruto had said.

The whole time they had not known someone had been listening to them from a rounded corner. Sasuke's eyes were widened after he had secretly listened to Kakashi. He now, basically, knew a huge part of Kagome's life.

He had no idea she had been through so much. He thought he suffered through a hard past….

Kagome had lost her friends _and_ family. She was completely alone.

Now, he wanted to find her. He really didn't know why…but he wanted to find her.

He left his hiding spot quietly to find where Kagome had gone to. Hopefully.

Kakashi stared at the water. "But believe it or not, Kagome's probably the strongest person you will ever know, next to your father, because she's dealt with this heavy burden on her shoulders for so long."

Inari wiped away his tears and stared at his feet. Now he understood why Kagome was much like his father.

Inari said, "I…I didn't know…" Kakashi smiled at him. "Well…now you know. So don't think you're alone when you say that you've lost someone. Just be grateful you still have people who care about you."

'_Unfortunately, Kagome doesn't realize that she has people who care about her...' _Kakashi thought to himself grimly.

Inari and Kakashi got up and walked back in the house.

_'Kagome never experienced how it was like to smile…to laugh…or to be happy when she was a child. Childhood is the age of being happy until the heart's content…and shapes us to how we enjoy life in the future…'_

Kagome was broken beyond repair, with no one to pick up the pieces of her shattered heart.

* * *

Sasuke looked around the forest in the night, trying to figure out where Kagome went. She'd been gone for a long time. He was worried since she had been really upset and she might do something rash.

'_Kagome…where'd you go?'_ Sasuke thought.

Sasuke stopped in a clearing. There was a large tree with no leaves on them, dead center in the area. He stared up the tree.

Kagome sat on the branch facing the full moon, her legs folded with her arms crossed. The wind blew her long hair as it hung past the branch she sat on, and brushed her bangs.

Sasuke knew she was still upset. _'That brat went too far…he better apologize to her….'_ He thought, feeling angry.

He saw her lower her head. Then he heard her say something. As he got closer, he noticed that she was singing, almost inaudible, but he could hear what she was saying.

**In my hands****  
A legacy of memories  
I can hear you say my name  
I can almost see your smile  
Feel the warmth of your embrace  
But there is nothing but silence now  
Around the one I loved  
Is this our farewell...?**

Kagome was silent after that. He didn't know what to say. Once again, her voice put him in a trance. She sounded so much like an angel…

He walked next to the tree and said, "Hey…Kagome."

Kagome didn't respond.

Sasuke crinkled his nose and said again, "Kagome. You alright?"

No response.

Sasuke turned his head away and sighed.

"I'm fine." Her voice responded in a casual manner.

Sasuke looked back to see that Kagome's head was turned slightly in his direction. "You going to come down here or am I going to have to come up there?" Sasuke called to her.

Kagome turned her head back. He knew her answer.

He ran up the tree and calmly sat next to her, staring at her face. She looked slightly troubled. "How have you been feeling?" he asked.

Kagome raised an eyebrow at him. As far as she knew, Sasuke never was concerned for anyone else but himself; nor has he ever asked ANYONE questions like this…

Kagome shrugged. "Yeah…I was just thinking."

Sasuke blinked. Kagome stared at the moon. She spoke quietly, "I'm just thinking of what I said to Inari…I was too harsh..."

Sasuke shook his head. "No. You only let out your emotions. You couldn't help it."

"But that's the problem. That just makes me weak."

Sasuke stared at her confusingly.

Emotions weren't a sign of weakness. Emotions are what sculpt everyone the way they are.

Sasuke realized that a long time ago, even if he doesn't show his own emotions a lot now, because of his infatuation with Kagome.

"Showing emotions doesn't make you weak. It just lets you express yourself in many ways."

Kagome glared at him. "You're the one to talk, always so quiet and cold to everyone else. You don't care about anyone but yourself."

Sasuke glared right back at her. "That's not true." _'Because I care about you…'_

"I'll believe that the next time you say something nice."

Sasuke sighed while turning away.

He mumbled something Kagome couldn't hear. Kagome turned her head and put a hand on her ear. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

Sasuke said a little louder, "You're...special...to me." He didn't want to tell her his real feelings for her; it was against his 'nature' to do so.

Kagome was taken aback and she lowered her hand.

"You're different from the others. From the other stupid girls at the academy, even Sakura. You're passionate about fighting and so determined on getting stronger. I know that you have the will to sacrifice yourself for people, whom I've never seen in anyone else but Naruto; that's what makes you special and makes me care about you for some reason…" Sasuke blurted out, not really fully thinking about what he said and felt stupid afterwards.

Kagome turned her head away. The tiniest blush shown on her cheeks.

It wasn't the same blush back at the academy when she first 'kissed' Sasuke; that had only had been out of embarrassment.

Her blush was out of feeling something rise in her chest abruptly. Sasuke turned his head in her direction as Kagome stared out in front of her and gave a secret victory smirk as he saw her blush.

Kagome looked at him and said, "Thanks, Sasuke…that…means a lot to me."

"Hn."

They both looked away with blushes remaining on their cheeks.

Kagome placed a hand on her chest. This warm feeling...where had she felt this before?

…it felt familiar to her…

Kagome shook her head slightly and held her knees close to her chest. _'What's going on? Why am I suddenly feeling this way around him…?'_

Sasuke shook his head before he brought something from his holster. Kagome stared at what he handed to her.

A rice ball that was wrapped in a cloth.

Kagome's stomach growled. She didn't eat anything, she forgot.

"Here."

Kagome took the rice hesitantly and stared at it. Then she looked at him and said, thanks, before taking a bite out of it.

Sasuke nodded and watched her eat it silently, not finding anything else to do.

As Kagome ate her rice ball, thoughts swarmed in her head. She decided to let them slide by and continued to finish her rice.

Sasuke smirked at her and said, "I believe you owe me an apology, Kagome."

* * *

Inari looked up from the table as the door opened. Kakashi and the others glanced at the door, only to see Kagome at the door, with…

Sasuke?

Sakura's eyes widened and narrowed with hatred at Kagome. Naruto wiggled his eyebrows with a sly grin and Sasuke sent him a death glare, which made him stop and sip his tea nervously.

Silence.

Inari stood up. "Kagome…?"

Kagome watched as he walked up and stood in front of her, his face saddened. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier before. I didn't know…"

Kagome sighed and put a hand on his shoulder, and said, "Don't worry about it. I know you didn't know. It's not really the first time someone didn't know…" She was never mad at him, just a little emotionally hurt.

Suddenly, Inari gave a smile and hugged Kagome around her waist. Tazuna and Tsunami gasped, since they hadn't seen him like this for a long time.

Everyone waited for Kagome's reaction.

Kagome's eyes were wide. She couldn't remember the last time she hugged someone. Or _been _hugged. It's been a long time and she almost didn't know what to do next.

She slowly, yet hesitantly for a moment, wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back. She had forgotten how it felt to be embraced. It had been too long for her, too long...

Naruto stared at them, totally speechless. He's never seen Kagome like this before. Not until…

With a thought in mind, Naruto shot out of his chair and pointed an accusing finger at Sasuke as he yelled, "SASUKE-TEME! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH KAGOME-CHAN?"

Most of them laughed after that outburst.

**Later…**

Kagome sat on her mat with crossed arms, staring out the window thoughtfully.

Someone came in. Kagome didn't have to look to know who it was.

"Is there something you want, Sasuke?" Kagome asked without looking.

Sasuke stood a few feet away from where she sat. "Kagome, you weren't here last night when we went to bed. Where were you?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Just tell me."

"I was training."

"The whole night?" Sasuke asked in disbelief. No girl at the academy, not even Sakura, would do something like this. This why he admired her, even though he wouldn't admit it to anyone else.

"Yeah. Got a problem?" Kagome inquired, looking at him with a frown.

Sasuke mirrored her frown and asked, "Have you even slept since we've gotten here?"

Kagome whipped her head away. Sasuke knelt down in front of her and noticed there were little bags forming under her eyes. "You need to sleep."

"What if I don't want to?"

"Go to sleep. I won't repeat myself."

"You're not the boss of me."

Sasuke sighed inwardly. She was acting too stubborn. He got up and turned away.

A thump was heard behind him.

Sasuke turned his head, only to see Kagome lying on her side on the mat with her arms crossed still. He looked at her face. It was relaxed, and she looked so unlike her usual self. She always looked so alert, but seeing her sleep for the first time made her look so vulnerable. It made him feel protective of her. Her breathing came out softly through her parted lips, making her look like an angel.

Sasuke stared at her lips longingly. How he wanted to kiss her…

He shook his head. If he did that, Kagome won't trust him and might never be his.

Maybe someday...

Without a second thought, he brought the blanket up to her chin, and gazed at her once more before leaving the room to go to bed.

_Sweet darling, you worry too much, my child__  
See the sadness in your eyes  
You are not alone in life  
Although you might think that you are…_

* * *

**SONG USED: What Kagome sang and the lyrics in the end were from the song "Our farewell" by Within Temptation. My favorite #1 band, next to Nickelback, Evanescence, and Avril Lavigne.**

** I hope you all like this chapter. I was able to find some time to post this chapter up, but there won't be another update for a while. I'll see if I can be able to update anytime soon. Well, until then…**

**Sayonara!**

**NEW RULE: **

**Each Chapter less than 15 reviews = will not think about updating.**

**Reviews motivate me to write!**

**(1) 'Cute' in Japanese.**


	5. Ch 5: Friendships and Sacrifices

**I appreciate the reviews I've gotten in the last chapter. They've made me happy and motivate me to write ^_^. For all who reviewed, thank you so much! As for the rest of you…well…**

**ANYWAY! Enjoy this chapter!**

**Warning: Some Sakura bashing. I'll see how it goes.**

**-AU so however the story goes, IT GOES LIKE THAT…**

Summary: After friends and family are killed, Kagome dies and is reborn into the Naruto world; but with some deadly secrets. She attends the Ninja academy and joins team 7 as a new life begins for her. But what happens when everything from Kagome's past returns for her…? AU

Pairing: Sasuke/Kagome

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"I leave Naruto and Kagome in your hands." Kakashi said as he, Sakura, Sasuke, and Tazuna were outside the house talking to Tsunami.

"Are you sure?" Tsunami asked with uncertainty.

"Yes. Naruto needs a break and Kagome hasn't slept since we first got here and she deserves a long rest; she trains too much." Kakashi replied with a smile.

"Come on." Tazuna said and they walked away from the house. Tsunami's only concern was that they would all come back, alive. She stood there a few minutes after they left and went back inside.

* * *

Somewhere else, Gato sat on his couch with a nearly broken arm supported by a wrap around his shoulders. He shouted in the phone he held in the other hand. "Quit wasting time and get to it already! I hired you to do a job! Are you even listening?"

From the other side of the line, someone stepped on the speaker and broke it, no longer hearing Gato's enraged voice.

The person who had stepped on it was none other than Zabuza, alive. He looked at the person in front of him. "Haku, are you ready?"

Haku, who happened to be, the 'tracker nin' team 7 had met before, nodded and they got on a boat towards the bridge that some men were working on…

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes warily and looked around, noticing that it was morning.

He wiped the drool down the side of his mouth and shot up, realizing something. He was supposed to go to the bridge today! "WHY DIDN'T ANYONE WAKE ME UP?" he shouted. He ran out of his room, with his pajamas and hat still on.

Tsunami was in the kitchen cleaning some dishes, and turned her head when she heard someone burst in the room from behind. She was relieved seeing the blonde boy looking well.

"Where is everybody?"

Tsunami smiled. "Your sensei wanted you to rest…"

He was just about ready to get his clothes on and go after them, but she stopped him somehow by continuing, "Don't worry, you're not alone. Kagome is here as well."

Naruto blinked a few times. He scratched the back of his neck confusingly. "Why didn't she go?"

He expected Kagome to be with them, since she wasn't the person who slows the team down.

Tsunami replied, "Same reason why you're here. He told me she hasn't slept since you all came, but only trained the whole time. He wanted her to rest so she wouldn't fall over while on the mission."

She turned her head back to the dishes with a smile. "You know, I never knew a beginner ninja like her would be so obsessed with training so much. She must really want to become stronger, you know…"

'_Yeah…" _Naruto mentally agreed. Since he and Kagome were the only two of the team here, he wanted to talk to her. He wanted to get to know her better. He left the kitchen and went to his room, dressing into his usual clothes.

"Maybe Kagome will actually talk with me today. I haven't gotten to know her that much since we became a team…" he said to himself as he put his jacket on.

He walked out of his room and went towards Kagome's.

He slid the door open, only to see the bed made and no one in the room. "Huh? Where'd she go?" Naruto looked around the house, trying to figure out where she went. Minutes passed, and he became aggravated.

Naruto went outside around the platform; in luck when he found her.

Kagome was sitting at the end of it with her back facing him and he walked over. "Huh?" Naruto stuttered when he saw Inari with her.

Kagome was watching Inari as he played with Kilala. Kilala mewed and ran up one of his shoulders, then to his other shoulder, then jumped on his head. Inari laughed as Kilala cuddled his hair on his head, which tickled him. Kilala then jumped off his head and into Kagome's lap, mewing a few times happily.

"Kagome, you're pet is so cute!" Inari said as he petted Kilala. Kagome replied with a small smile. "Thanks." she said before staring at the water.

Inari stared at her face, and then heard a creak behind him. Kagome must've heard as well, because they both turned their heads at the same time and saw Naruto standing there, with a dumbfounded expression.

"Kagome!" Naruto asked with a shout. Kagome nodded. Naruto looked back and forth between them two, which made her raise an eyebrow.

"Is there something wrong?" Kagome asked. Naruto shook his head and pointed at Inari, "Why are you with him! I thought you were still mad at him!"

Inari frowned slightly and Kagome shook her head, "I'm not mad at him. Besides, he got bored and he wanted to play with Kilala. He wanted me to come."

"Yeah." Inari said. Naruto shook his head and held it, trying to see past the awkwardness in his head.

"Inari!" Tsunami's voice called out. Inari stood up and said, "See you, Kagome!" and ran in the house.

Naruto stared at Inari's retreating form. He looked at Kagome and asked, "Wait, do you know that the others are gone?"

Kagome nodded.

"So why didn't you go after them?"

Kagome turned her head. Kagome stared at the sky. "I couldn't leave him or Tsunami alone. Even though it's our job to protect Tazuna, their lives are in danger as well since they're his family. Gato can send minions after them, and they can be killed without our protection from at least one of us."

Naruto realized something. She was right. If they had been gone, who would keep them safe? He felt stupid afterwards.

"Man…and I was just about to leave them…"

Kagome chuckled slightly. "You can go."

Naruto gazed out into the forest, longingly. He looked back at Kagome and said, "Nah. I just want to spend the day with you."

Unknown to him, her mood dropped about 10 degrees.

Naruto sat next to her. "Kagome, I know we haven't exactly gotten on a good start, but I want to get to know you right now."

Kagome lowered her head. She was unresponsive at first but then she said quietly, "What do you want to know about me…?"

Naruto was shocked. He brushed it off and started, "Kagome, I wanted to ask you something…."

He paused, unsure to say it. Kagome stared at the water, waiting for him to ask.

"Who's exactly... the person you want to kill?"

Kagome lifted her head slightly. Naruto thought of something. "You said it was 'none of our business' when Tazuna mentioned Gato. Is he…" he didn't continue, not sure how she'll respond. He was nervous that she might yell at him and storm away.

Kagome stared at her reflection in the water. Naruto stared at her troubled expression, patiently waiting for her answer.

"Yes…"

Naruto's eyes widened slightly. Kagome repeated quietly, "Yes, Naruto…he is the person I'm trying to kill."

Kagome looked at him with a slightly saddened expression. "Gato murdered my family…a long time ago."

Naruto felt sad for her after she said that. He knew she was suffering.

"Kagome...have you ever cried since then?"

Kagome stared at him and lowered her gaze. "No, I haven't….but the thing is…."

There was a pregnant pause. She said with her eyes hidden. "After I had found out my family died...my friends died not too long after….and I had cried then."

Naruto mouth was agape. She stared at the sky thoughtfully. "After that had happened, I didn't know what to do. My friends and family were dead. I then came to the dreaded truth: I was alone. There was...no one left with me, and I had to rely on myself to pull through...I had wanted to die right then and there, but something told me I should keep on going in life, even if I was alone."

Kagome hid the fact that she had died. Naruto wouldn't have understood if she had told him that.

Kagome really is a strong person, Naruto realized. She had been through so much, much more than he did, and yet…she stood so strong, with her head held high. She didn't let anything put her down, whether she was treated like she was unworthy or was insulted by Sakura or other people. Kagome only wanted to become stronger so she wouldn't have to rely on other people for protection.

"Crying won't help solve any problems...it just makes you feel like you're too scared to do anything on your own. I stopped crying since then and decided to make the best that I can by myself…"

She was more of a potential Hokage than he was.

Naruto was silent. So was Kagome. He stared at the water, at his own reflection.

"Kagome…you don't have to be alone."

Kagome didn't say anything. Naruto continued, "I'm just as alone as you are. Heck, my parents died and I didn't even know them. Even though the village treated me the same way as you…I had friends. That made me feel like I wasn't alone...that I had some people who accepted me."

Naruto looked back at her. "Kagome…all I want is to be your friend..."

Kagome's eyes widened slightly.

"You shouldn't keep yourself alone like this; it just won't make you feel complete. You know…we all care about you, even though you may not know it. Why do you think Sasuke-teme hangs around you? I mean, he's not exactly the type to be 'social'."

Kagome slowly turned her head at Naruto, who gave her a sad expression. She knew what he was saying was the truth, but she just wasn't so sure about herself anymore. Losing friends isn't something she can just forget, especially when they had _died_. She remembered how much it hurt...and she didn't want to go through that again. But yet...

She didn't know what to do. It was just too confusing for her.

She didn't respond but just got up and left towards the forest, leaving Naruto there.

Naruto looked sadly where she took off. _'Kagome-chan…'_

He knew she needed a friend. He tried to be the one. But yet deep down, he knew that she was confused. She needed time.

Inari had listened from behind the door where he went in. He was going to help his mother, but when Naruto had asked her questions, he wanted to listen. _'Kagome really is strong…' _Inari sadly thought to himself and he walked away.

_Only time will heal all wounds…_

* * *

"What happened here?" Tazuna cried as he and the rest of the team arrived, looking just as horrified. The men who were working on the bridge were lying on the ground, looking nearly dead.

Kakashi looked around, his eyes narrowed, _'Could it be…?' _

Two people were at the other side of where they stood. Kakashi's eyes widened as he was able to make out the images as the mist surrounded them all.

'_I knew he was still alive!' _Kakashi thought to himself. He held a kunai in front of him, ready for battle. They all surrounded Tazuna and lowered their stances, ready for anything that might come.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kakashi…" an all-too-familiar voice spoke in the mist.

* * *

"Inari! Can you help me out here!" Tsunami's voice called though the house.

What they all didn't know was that two men were outside the door, with strange tattoos and clothing. They both unsheathed the swords in their sheaths with their thumb, making a small 'click' sound.

Inari was washing his hands in the bathroom quickly so he could help his mother with whatever.

Then, he heard glass shattering and his mother's shrill cry outside. Inari's eyes widened and he quickly ran out; having a feeling that something bad was out there.

Tsunami was sitting against the wall with her hands over her head, trembling as she whimpered. The two men snickered.

Inari came in the room and gasped in fear. The men had heard and they looked back at him, their smirks widening.

"MOTHER!"

Tsunami gasped and yelled out, "INARI, RUN AWAY! NOW!"

"Should we bring him as well?" one of them asked. The other shook his head. "Gato asked for one hostage."

'_No…'_ Inari thought, looking at his mother. Another part of his family was going to be taken away from him.

"Let's kill him, then!" the man who had asked said as he unsheathed his sword completely, with a maniacal smile on his face. Inari took a step back in fear.

"WAIT!" Tsunami's voice broke out. They all looked at her. Tsunami had a defiant look on her face as she rasped out, "Don't hurt my son."

Inari's eyes widened. He knew what she was doing.

"I'll do anything! Just don't hurt him." Tsunami said. They sheathed their swords and chuckled. "Looks like your mom came through for you." They walked over to Tsunami and tied her hands behind her back, then dragged her out of the room.

"I'm sorry, mom…" Inari choked out between hiccups. Inari slumped against the door frame in defeat, tears streaming down his face. He felt himself starting to cry. "I'm too weak! I can't even protect my mom…I'm scared…I don't want to die…" he whimpered out.

'_Coward…' _a voice called out in his mind. He shot his head up.

He heard Naruto's voice, _'Listen to yourself whining and complaining! You can cry all you want, but you're nothing but a coward!' _

Another voice came in, this time Kakashi's. _'He just got so tired of crying __and he wanted to do something instead of sit around and do nothing. _

_What Naruto said about being a coward…he's probably told himself that a thousand times. _

_Putting your life on the line is a choice you have to take for yourself…and Kagome was willing to accept that.' _

Kagome's voice came after. _'Crying won't help solve any problems...it just makes you feel like you're too scared to do anything on your own. I stopped crying since then and decided to make the best that I can by myself…'_

'_Can…I be that strong too?' _Inari thought to himself, lifting his tear-stained face up. He shot up and clenched his fists. "Father…" he said to himself. He wasn't scared to die anymore.

The two men dragged Tsunami and one of them said, "Keep walking!" Tsunami gritted her teeth but said nothing. She didn't want them to go after Inari.

"STOP!" a voice rang out.

Tsunami gasped and they all looked behind. "INARI!" Tsunami cried, seeing her son there.

"How cute, you came to save your mom!" One of them chuckled.

"GET AWAY FROM MY MOM!" Inari shouted and ran towards them.

"NO, INARI! DON'T HURT HIM!" Tsunami cried desperately. One of them slammed the hilt of their sword behind her neck. "Inari…" she mumbled before she passed out.

The two men unsheathed their swords and sliced them through the air.

* * *

Clones of Zabuza surrounded Kakashi, Sakura, Sasuke, and Tazuna.

One of them looked at Sasuke. "How pitiful…I see that one is still trembling…" he chuckled darkly. Sasuke tightened the grip on his kunai. Sasuke smirked and said, "I'm trembling….with excitement."

The clone in front of him swung his sword at Sasuke. In a flash, all the clones were sliced in half and they all turned to puddles of water, surrounding the team. Sasuke regained his landing.

"So you can see they were all water clones. Impressive. Looks like you have a rival, Haku." Zabuza's voice echoed. Zabuza and another person stepped from the mist in front of him.

"So it seems…" the boy next to him replied. They all recognized him to be the tracker nin they had met before.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. _'I suspected he couldn't have been a real tracker nin. He's just like Zabuza; a missing nin!'_

* * *

The two men sheathed their swords.

Their eyes widened when they saw three pieces of a log instead of hitting the boy. "Substitution jutsu! And the woman! She's gone!"

The looked behind and saw Inari and Tsunami, but with another person laying the woman down. "Sorry to keep you waiting." The person said.

Inari gasped and cried in happiness, "Naruto! You're here!"

Naruto gave him a big grin. "Inari, you were awesome! I was able to get your mom away because you distracted them."

"It's one of those brats Tazuna hired. Let's get him!" One of the men said and they both unsheathed their swords and charged at Naruto.

They were stopped immediately and felt their swords held back. Naruto and Inari gasped as they saw the savior behind them. The two men also looked at their swords. Their swords were being held together by a greenish wire, which came from behind as they followed their eyes towards the person.

It was Kagome.

"Don't you dare hurt them…" Kagome spoke lowly.

Inari smiled, "Kagome!"

Kagome retracted her whip back from the swords, making them turn around and face in her direction. What Kagome shouted at them next surprised Naruto the most:

"Stay away from my friends!"

Naruto gave an emotional smile after getting past his shock. _'Kagome…you really?' _Naruto thought to himself.

The men's eyes widened. "That's the Higurashi girl! Gato told us to kill her! Get her!" they charged at Kagome with their swords ready.

Kagome said calmly as she drew her arm back, "Naruto, cover Inari's eyes and don't look. You both don't need to see this."

Naruto knew where this was going and quickly grabbed Inari's head and turned the young boy's face towards his chest, closing his own eyes as well.

All Naruto heard was the sound of splattering and something being ripped. He opened an eye and nearly felt sick when he saw the bodies of the men sliced in chunks with blood everywhere. Then, the bodies' remains disintegrated with an acidic substance. He let go of Inari and stood up.

Kagome looked at Inari. "Inari…I can't tell you how proud I am of you." She said calmly.

Inari smiled and Naruto patted his head. "Looks like you're not a coward after all!" he said jokingly. Inari playfully punched his arm and they were both laughed.

Kagome called out, ignoring their laughter, "KILALA!"

Kilala came from between the boys and ran towards her. She transformed into her larger form and Kagome jumped on her back. Kagome looked at Naruto, "Let's go! We have to go help the others!"

Naruto nodded and said to Inari, "I can leave you in charge of things now. So good luck!" he said and gave a thumbs up, running to Kagome.

Naruto sat behind Kagome on Kilala. Kagome nodded at Inari as he waved goodbye and she shouted, "Let's go, Kilala!" Kilala roared and flew in the air, nearly making Naruto fall off in shock.

Inari heard Naruto's voice echo as they flew away, "KAGOME, HOW COME YOU DIDN'T TELL ME KILALA CAN FLY?"

* * *

"I was right…it was an act all along." Kakashi stated.

Zabuza smirked from behind the bandages wrapped around his face.

"So all of that was just a bunch of bull…" Tazuna commented.

Kakashi shook his head disappointingly, towards the boy. "Who does he think he's fooling with that mask?"

Sakura nodded in agreement. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I'm taking him out. Who does he think he's fooling, hiding behind that stupid mask?"

Sakura turned bubbly and exclaimed, "Sasuke, you're so cool!"

Kakashi sweatdropped. _'Wait…didn't I just say that?…she's hopeless…'_

Zabuza grunted and Haku sighed from behind his mask. "It seems that boy has gotten stronger than the clones. He took them all out."

Zabuza said, "But it still gave us the first advantage…" he eyed the water surrounding them. "Use it."

Haku nodded and wind surrounded him as he twirled quickly in their direction.

A kunai and senbon needle clashed. Haku stood in front of Sasuke as they pressed against their weapons. They swung them at each other and they all avoided their opposing attacks.

Haku said, his voice smooth and sleek, as Sasuke and he clashed their weapons together again, "We just want the bridge builder. If you back down, I won't kill you."

Sasuke smirked. Haku continued calmly, "You won't be able to keep up with my speed. I've gained two key advantages."

"Yeah? What are they?" Sasuke challenged.

Sasuke's eyes widened when Haku started performing rapid hand signs with one hand.

"Secret jutsu! A thousand needles of death!" Haku said and water surrounded both of them. The water then turned to needles. Sasuke had fallen into a trap.

Sasuke raised one hand and closed his eyes. _'Focus the chakra…into my feet!' _

An explosion erupted as the needles shot on target. Haku was more than surprised when Sasuke landed behind him. Haku dodged all the kunai's Sasuke threw at him.

They engaged in a weapon-to-weapon battle once again. Sasuke had an opening and was able to kick Haku in the face, sending him reeling away at Zabuza's feet.

'_That can't be possible! No one is faster than Haku!" _Zabuza thought with wide eyes.

"You made a mistake insulting these ninjas." Kakashi stated. "Don't underestimate them, especially the greatest ninja of us all: Kagome!"

Sakura's face turned to disbelief and Inner Sakura screamed out, _'THAT HIGURASHI BITCH? I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!' _

Sasuke smirked. _'He's right. Kagome is the best. Even better than me. That's why I like her…'_

* * *

Kagome sneezed and rubbed her nose. Naruto leaned to the side where he sat and said, "Inari told me that if you sneeze, it means someone is either thinking or talking about you."

Kagome turned her head towards him with an 'are-you-insane' look. "You actually believe that?"

Naruto's face turned comically dull and he looked away. "Maybe…"

Kagome rolled her eyes at his childish antics and focused ahead. _'I hope we're not too late…'_

* * *

Zabuza chuckled. "Haku, we might be the ones that might die if we keep going like this. Don't hold back anymore." Haku stood up in front of him. "Right…" he said. A blue aura surrounded Haku.

Sasuke noticed something. _'The air…it's getting colder…' _he thought, feeling his skin crawl as it started to chill.

Haku brought both his hands together with his index middle finger pointed out and crossing. Suddenly, the water behind and around Sasuke turned to tall mirrors of ice. Haku walked and absorbed into one of the mirrors. Haku's reflection showed up on all the mirrors.

Kakashi growled under his breath and rushed to help him, but Zabuza phased in front of him. "You're fighting against me, if that's the case."

From inside the ice dome, Haku's voice rang out, "I'll show you what speed really is."

Something sliced through Sasuke's sleeve, and another through the other sleeve. Then, a barrage of needles came at him from around, as he was unable to dodge them. One of them knocked the kunai from his hand.

"SASUKE!" Sakura cried out.

Haku was suddenly knocked out of his ice by an unsuspecting force and fell to the ground, the ice broken. Then, the barrage of needles stopped. Sasuke looked up.

A giant boomerang retreated and someone caught it from above with one hand.

"We hope we didn't miss out on anything!"

Kakashi smiled. Kagome and Naruto were both in the air on Kilala as Naruto waved at them with a smile.

"Naruto! Kagome, you're here!" Sakura cried happily, though not too thrilled about Kagome.

Naruto chuckled. Kagome stood up on Kilala's back in the air and dove down into the ice dome, landing in front of Sasuke. Kilala landed near the others with Naruto on her back and he jumped off, petting the oversized neko's head.

'_It's that Kagome girl…' _Zabuza and Haku thought at the same time.

"Zabuza…let me eliminate the girl my own way." Haku said. Zabuza gave Haku his consent with a nod.

Kagome drew her arm back. "HIRAKOTSU!" she yelled and threw the boomerang at Haku. Haku dodged the boomerang, which gave a chance for Sasuke to get up.

Haku landed in the dome and said calmly, "I know when others are defeated, and you're one of them. It's useless for you." He absorbed himself in the mirror behind him again, surprising Naruto and Kagome this time.

Kagome put her boomerang down and drew her bow and arrows from her bracelet, and readied an arrow. She looked at Haku's reflection in front of her. _'That must be the real one.' _

"I'm behind you." Haku's voice rang out. Kagome and Sasuke's eyes widened as they looked behind to see Haku. _'Damn…he can teleport…' _Kagome thought to herself.

Many reflections of Haku appeared in all the mirrors and they all held senbon needles. Kagome grunted and jumped into the air.

Because of this, all the needles shot at her and she was cut by every single one. Kagome was covered in some blood from her small cuts and she fell to the ground, dropping her bow and arrows next to her.

Sasuke cursed and ran to her side. Kagome gritted her teeth as she lifted her head up. _'These clones can actually hurt me…' _

"Hey you two, I snuck in here to save you!" Naruto said as he appeared out of nowhere.

Kagome and Sasuke's expressions turned to comically stupid and Sasuke shouted, "You loser! What the hell are you doing! You're supposed to think before you move!"

Naruto shouted back at him, "What's your problem? You should be thanking me for coming here!"

"MORON! THINK! IF YOU'RE IN HERE AS WELL—" "I'VE HAD IT WITH YOUR ATTITUDE—" They both started yelling at the same time and started bickering, ignoring the face that Haku was watching. Kagome sweatdropped at the stupidity of the situation.

Noticing Haku's attention had been averted, she reached for her bow and arrow. _'The only chance I've got is to destroy the mirrors. That will slow Haku down.' _

Haku hadn't been paying attention and let his guard down for a moment. An arrow pierced into one of the mirrors, a pink light making it shatter into pieces. Naruto and Sasuke were snapped out of their bickering at that moment.

_'What kind of chakra was that?' _Everyone, even Haku, thought at the same time.

Kagome readied another arrow.

Haku said through the mirrors, "I don't want to kill you…" Kagome blinked. "If you continue…I won't have a choice…I fight for only who is precious to me."

His voice sounded desperate, underneath it sounding so simple. Kagome gritted her teeth and lowered her eyes, her hands shaking.

"What's the point in doing that?" she said. Haku looked at her from behind his mask. Kagome hissed out, "Fighting for someone who is important to you...it's not worth it. They won't appreciate what you've done, they'll only just leave and toss you away like trash once they're finished with you! It's pointless!"

Sasuke was speechless, listening to Kagome sound so emotional. Naruto sadly stared at her from behind.

"Dedicating yourself to someone is a waste of time!" Kagome shouted and released another arrow, it shattering another mirror.

Sasuke said to Naruto, "Naruto! Attack from behind the glass!" Naruto nodded and ran towards the opening Kagome had made by shattering the mirrors. Haku shot out of the glass in Naruto's direction.

Seeing an opportunity, Sasuke performed hand signs immediately, "Fire style: Fireball jutsu!" a ball of fire came from his mouth and towards Haku. Haku nearly got hit as he dodged it and he phased back into a mirror.

They tried it again, but Haku drew senbons this time and threw it at Sasuke, all of them piercing him. "Sasuke!" Naruto cried, and screamed in pain when he was pierced with senbons as well.

Kagome whipped her head behind her, gasping. _'Naruto! Sasuke!' _

"You've exhausted my patience. No more games." Haku said and threw more senbons at Naruto and he fell. Sasuke and Kagome looked in his direction, horrified.

Sasuke crouched down next to him. "Can you get up?" he asked.

His only response was him sitting up slowly. Kagome called from the side. "Naruto, stay down! You're too exhausted! You're only giving him the advantage now!"

Naruto slumped to the ground in exhaustion. Sasuke yelled, "Get up! We have to work together!" Kagome gritted her teeth in frustration at Sasuke's stupidity. Naruto was too weak to move! Naruto nodded and got back up, despite his pain.

Kagome looked around. _'Naruto can't go on like this! I have to do something!' _she thought as they all dodged the senbons. They were all pierced with senbons, which made Naruto and Sasuke slow down.

Kagome was loosing too much blood...

Kagome's body pulsed slightly, and she slightly gasped. Her demon self was threatening to break through. She tried holding it back, because she didn't know what might happen if it was let loose.

Then, Haku vanished and was not seen in any mirror. Sasuke and Naruto's eyes widened and Sasuke picked up one of the senbons. Then, suddenly, Naruto fell back on the ground, unconscious. Sasuke ran to his side and shook his shoulder, trying to wake him up.

Kagome cursed and thought. _'Naruto won't make it if this goes on! And I don't know what's going to happen if I-'_

Kagome noticed Haku phasing through every mirror. Then, he drew a senbon in the mirror in front of Sasuke as he still tried waking Naruto up, not noticing.

Kagome knew what Haku was going to do.

Haku threw a hundred senbons in his direction and Kagome's eyes widened. She felt something deep in her chest.

The same feeling she felt before with Sasuke…

Now that all their lives were in danger, she understood what it was. She finally knew why she felt this way.

Kagome refrained the demon side in an instant, seeing the danger. She sped towards Sasuke using her chakra, coming to her final conclusion in mind,

'_I care about Sasuke!'_

A second later...

Blood splattered everywhere.

Someone was going to die...

* * *

Kakashi held his side painfully as blood oozed through his hand and onto the ground. He had gotten the wound from Zabuza's sword in protecting Tazuna and Sakura.

"You were late, Kakashi. Concerned for their punk's safety clouded your mind." Zabuza said with a smirk. He looked at the ice dome to the side. He felt a chakra and he chuckled. "It seems one of them will be breathing their last breath…"

Kakashi's eyes widened. _'WHAT?' _he thought, horrified. He looked at the dome, then back at Zabuza, eyes narrowing.

"You'll be able to apologize to them when you see them in the next life! It's time to end this!" Zabuza yelled as he disappeared in the mist. Kakashi drew his kunai and charged in the direction of where he went. _'It is time to end this! Only he will fall!'_

* * *

Sasuke was aware that something covered his face. It felt warm…and sticky. He realized it felt like…

'_Blood…' _he thought to himself. He looked at his arms and legs, but he saw no fatal wound, making him confused.

"Sasuke…you're so reckless…and I thought you never let your guard down…" someone said.

He saw Haku on the ground looking motionless from afar, another mirror shattered. He felt relieved but when he stared at what he saw in front in front of him….he nearly felt his heart stop.

**(Naruto soundtrack: Sadness and Sorrow, plays right now.)**

Kagome was a few feet in front of him, hunched over while pierced with senbons all over her body. Pierced on her arms…legs…chest, _everywhere_. Blood was sliding through each senbon and dripped onto the ground below her, a large puddle forming around her feet. Her bow was still held in one of her bloody hands.

'_Why….?'_ Sasuke thought, as his body shook.

Kagome smirked even though Sasuke didn't see it. "I-I thought…the great Uchiha…was able to handle his own…but I was w-wrong…"

Kagome coughed blood and it stained her shirt and the ground, making Sasuke's heart clench at the sight. Kagome's breathings came out heavily as blood dripped down her wounds.

Unfortunately for them, Haku had gotten up. His face was turned to shock from behind his mask. Haku asked quietly, "Why?…Why did you take the blow that was meant for him…when you could've just countered and not had done that..?"

Kagome had put herself in front of Sasuke as she shot an arrow at Haku, which had made him get knocked out of the mirror as it shattered, but in the process…she had taken the fatal blow intended for Sasuke.

Kagome chuckled. Kagome gazed over her shoulder at Sasuke, and he felt himself shiver. Her eyes looked so lifeless and glazed over, as they had turned from her usual chocolate brown to grey. "It's your entire fault Sasuke..."

Kagome gazed back at Haku. "It's his f-fault…..I had…promised myself n-never to g-get close to a-anyone…ever again….but...h-he softened me...and...I-I started feeling so many e-emotions I hadn't felt…for a long time…"

Sasuke felt his body shake more and he gritted his teeth. He shot up and yelled, "You didn't have to do that! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING SO STUPID LIKE THAT?" he felt his eyes grow moist in frustration.

Kagome closed her eyes and smiled warmly to herself. _'He sounds….so much like…Inuyasha…' _

"My body…j-just reacted out of….i-i-instinct…after all…I did promise myself…t-to protect anyone…with my l-life…" she said quietly.

Kagome's closed eyes shut tightly as an overwhelming pain shot through her and she fell backwards, feeling her legs give out and all her energy drained from her demeanor. "You're...so reckless…" she rasped as she fell.

Sasuke's eyes widened and he gasped. He didn't think about it, only reacted as he ran towards her falling form. He caught her from behind. He kneeled down and laid her across his lap, her head resting in the crook of his arm as it held her head, the other around her waist to hold her up. The bow had fallen from her grasp onto the ground next to her, and it had made a clattering sound.

So much of her blood stained his clothes already…

Kagome looked at him, her eyes starting to cloud over. She smiled. "You….made me do….something I-I haven't done for…..s-s-so…long…." Her eyes became half-lidded. Sasuke was panicking. She was dying in his arms, and he could do nothing but watch as she poured her heart out to him.

"You…made me…c-care...about others….e..even you…"

Sasuke would've blushed if not for this situation. She had just confessed she cared about him...while she was dying.

Kagome coughed a few times, more blood coming out, which nearly broke his heart. It was his fault…that she was like this. If only he had paid ATTENTION, she wouldn't be like this...

Kagome's smile faded. He felt her body shake in his arms. She choked out as she shook violently , "I….I can't believe...i-it …."

Her body racked when she shuddered as another wave of pain washed over. "G-Gato…was so c-close…so…close…and I c-couldn't e-even live…long enough….to t-take my revenge…on him…for my family…before I...got to s-s-see them…again …"

Sasuke felt his heart skip a beat. He knew what she meant was that she was going to die, and she knew it. Kagome gasped and shuddered once again and she looked at Sasuke. She shakily clutched his shirt in one of her small hands, and he couldn't help but notice how small she was in his arms like this…now that he was holding her for the first time…

Tears of blood streamed down her cheeks and onto the ground. "S-Sa..suke...p-please d-don't l-lose yourself…when you k-kill Itachi…" she pleaded. Sasuke had never heard her beg for anything, before.

"P..lease…don't…g-give...up…"

Sasuke's eyes widened. Kagome let out a shaky breath and she closed her eyes for her last time, her head sinking in his arm and her body slumping in his hold. Her hand released his shirt and it went limp.

Sasuke prayed this wasn't happening. Kagome can't be dead….she can't be dead! Kagome was the strongest person he knew!

Sasuke stared intently at her face, hoping she would move or respond and he wouldn't miss it. She was unresponsive and her chest didn't rise or fall, which made his heart drop.

Sasuke felt something wet on his cheeks.

Tears. He was crying.

The tears he had been holding back fully streamed down his face and he didn't even try to stop it. The only person he ever cared about after his parents died….was gone. Another one, taken away from him, yet _again_. This time…it felt much more painful than being pierced by those _damned _senbons.

Sasuke slowly pressed her face to the crook of his neck, and placed his chin on top of her head, the dam finally broken in his eyes. The tears fell down more rapidly and they dripped onto Kagome's face. He buried his face in her hair as he clutched her body tighter to him, shaking violently. He wouldn't care if Naruto woke up from behind and saw him in this state.

The one he loved, yes _loved_...not just a mere crush...had died in his arms.

Haku watched the display from where he stood. _'She had found a strength she didn't know she had…..it pushed herself to put herself in front of him and counter attack me….because of a certain person she cared about. She threw her life away….even though she knew it was a trap…just for him….she was a true ninja…'_

Haku turned away and he said, "Is this the first time you've seen a friend die in battle? This...is part of what it means to be a ninja." He never considered the feelings Sasuke had for her as he said it, making it sound like it was something that ordinarily happens and should be forgotten. He absorbed himself back into a mirror, ready for attack.

Sasuke's back was turned toward Haku, unresponsive for a moment.

"Shut up..."

Haku stared at Sasuke's back, noticing then that his body was visibly shaking. "Shut...the hell up..." Sasuke growled quietly, his voice filled with pure malice. He did nothing, but only stared at Kagome's lifeless face. She looked so peaceful...

That's when he felt something snap and a new overwhelming power coursed through him, specifically, in his eyes.

_'What?'_ Haku asked to himself, feeling the chakra coming from Sasuke grow abruptly.

At that moment Naruto had woken up, groggily, but was alive. He sat up supporting his hands behind him and he said, "Sasuke? What happened and wha-" his voice was broken when he saw Kagome's bloody body pierced with senbons in Sasuke's arms. Naruto's body shook. "I-is she..?." he croaked out, unable to finish his sentence.

Sasuke didn't respond to his question. Naruto could not see his eyes since his face was pressed against Kagome's head. Naruto noticed Sasuke was shaking.

Slowly, Sasuke raised his head and Naruto's eyes widened with a gasp at what he saw.

Sasuke's eyes were bloody red with two tomoes surrounding his pupils.

_'The sharingan!' _Naruto stared at his eyes, seeing the rage beneath the color of death. Sasuke also had tears down his cheeks, which shocked Naruto even more.

Sasuke bared his teeth in fury as he growled to Haku, "You...did this..."

His facial expression darkened and he snarled out with fury while still cradling Kagome's head as her body laid on the ground in front of him.

"**I'LL KILL YOU!**"

* * *

**O_O DUN DUN DUN! Suspense! **

**Sasuke's real mad...watch out...**

**Thank you everyone who reviewed! I love you all and hope you all will continue to do so! I love your reviews, they make me happy! :3**

**Until then...**

**Sayonara!**

**NEW RULE:**

**Each Chapter less than 15 reviews = will not think about updating.**


	6. Ch 6: The true enemy at the end

**Words cannot describe how thankful I am for your reviews. You guys are the best! They really help and inspire me to keep on writing, even through my toughest times ^^.**

**By the way, from now on the chapters will be shorter...but not too short. To be honest, it's hard writing a chapter with like over 6000 words...so I'll try to post each chapter at least 3000...**

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! (Because I hate it -_-")**

**Warning: Some Sakura bashing. I'll see how it goes.**

**-AU so however this fic goes, IT GOES LIKE THAT….**

Main Summary: After friends and family are killed, Kagome dies and is reborn into the Naruto world; but with some deadly secrets. She attends the Ninja academy and joins team 7 as a new life begins for her. But what happens when everything from Kagome's past returns for her…? AU

Pairing: Sasuke/Kagome

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto. They belong to their rightful owners.

* * *

**Chapter 6 **

Haku had not anticipated this. He wasn't supposed to be defeated, by the hands of ninjas like these. But not just any ninjas…only mere _genin_. Beginner ninja. But the way Sasuke had destroyed all his mirrors out of pure rage shocked him.

Haku then realized that Sasuke was trying to kill him not because of a blood-thirsty intent…but because he lost someone he cared about. Someone precious to him.

Just as Zabuza was to him.

He was forcefully knocked out of the mirror, the last mirror, he was in, and it shattered. He fell on his face with a sickening 'crack' sound.

Haku slowly stood up numbly, and watched Sasuke a few yards away, blood-lust filled in his eyes.

Haku knew he was going to die. There was no point in denying it. He…had failed Zabuza. So what meaning does his life have if he could not do anything right for Zabuza, someone who was precious to him?

He didn't have the will to fight anymore. He just stood there, ready for anything thrown at him.

His mask was slowly cracking, ready to fall off as Sasuke charged at him with blind fury. Haku saw the blonde boy next to the girl's body, watching. The boy was mad, yes, but he was also scared. Scared of seeing someone dead. Again…

Genin should not have to experience gruesome battles like this. Especially when they have no intuition of real battles such as this—

A swift punch to his face knocked him out of his subconscious. Haku slowly got up shakily, feeling half the mask slipping off of him. As Sasuke readied another punch, Haku's identity was shown for the first time in front of them, now that the mask had came off and landed near his feet on the ground.

Sasuke was ready to deliver a fatal blow to him. Haku was ready to die.

If he could not complete his purpose in life, then he could at least die with honor.

...But he had felt nothing. No pain.

Haku saw that Naruto held Sasuke's fist from behind, as the raven-haired boy struggled against the restraints holding him back from lashing out at him.

But why? Why did Naruto stop Sasuke from killing him? He deserved all the pain that was coming for him. After all...

Sasuke angrily looked behind and shouted, "NARUTO! LET GO! HE DESERVES TO DIE!"

He's right, Haku thought to himself sadly.

Naruto shook his head, which immorally surprised Haku.

No. This isn't want he wanted. He wanted to die, now that he doesn't have anything to live for.

Haku spoke out. "Don't. Let him kill me. I no longer have a purpose in life, now that I have failed Zabuza." Haku noticed Naruto's eyes shift over to him.

"What do you mean?" the blonde boy asked curiously.

Haku stared at his feet silently. "Zabuza...he's the only one I fight for. Before he found me, my father killed my mother and tried to kill me. Because of my power. I had killed him in the end...and I was alone. No one wanted me. They hated me..."

Haku continued, lifting his head slightly. "But then Zabuza saw me differently. A weapon. Something of use to him. It gave me a reason to live...he gave me the reason..."

He then smiled sadly, remembering the times they had. "For the first time...I was happy. He made me happy. That's why I only live to fulfill his dreams. Even if it meant becoming a shinobi...I was willing to do anything to make him happy..."

Naruto and Sasuke stared at him in shock, Haku noted.

Then, Haku felt something. Zabuza was in danger.

Maybe….he could spare his life for him...

Yes. That's what he'll do.

He swiftly left his spot, as the other two were left there in shock. He knew they were going to follow him, but he didn't care.

Now, he had a reason to die. And nothing else made him more content than that.

* * *

Kakashi stood a few feet in front of Zabuza, who was being restrained by the earth style tracker jutsu.

"This is no longer just tricks. This time it's time I introduce you to my own jutsu!" Kakashi declared and brought his hands up in a sign and performed basic motions.

A blue ring of fire surrounded him and lighting sparked and absorbed into his hands that were put together, creating a large electrifying ki ball in his palms.

"LIGHTNING RAIN!"

Zabuza thought in panic with widened eyes. _'This chakra is so strong, it's visible!' _Zabuza knew this was the end for him, but he didn't know it would end like this.

"You're finished!" Kakashi shouted with fury and charged at Zabuza, as he was still restrained. Zabuza could not dodge it since he was paralyzed.

Then, an ice mirror shot out from in front of Zabuza, which made Kakashi confused at first but instead he just brought his fist through the glass, shattering it into pieces.

But the pieces had turned to blood.

Zabuza and Kakashi's eyes were widened. Zabuza's restraints came off with a puff of smoke.

Blood was all around. Not Zabuza's blood though.

Haku was in front of Zabuza with a lifeless expression on his face; he looked dead, but he was still standing. Haku had been Zabuza's shield, but was just as delicate as the mirrors he was able to form.

Haku grabbed Kakashi's hand and twisted it as it was still pressed against his chest. "Z-Za…buza…" he muttered, pain evident in his voice. Zabuza smirked wickedly behind his bandages.

"I suppose you had been wrong, Kakashi." Zabuza sneered and Kakashi's eyes narrowed with anger.

"The boy threw himself in front of my attack…just to save your pathetic one…" Kakashi said at Zabuza with disgust. Zabuza only just said, "Well done, Haku…" which sickened Kakashi even more.

Naruto and Sasuke arrived. Naruto's expression turned to grief at the loss, and Sasuke was disappointed since he was not able to kill Haku and avenge Kagome, himself.

Then, Zabuza drew his sword and was ready to strike Kakashi, not caring of Haku was in the way. Kakashi's eyes widened and Sakura screamed, "Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi reacted quicker and grabbed Haku, pulling them both out of the way of the attack. "Stay out of this Naruto." Kakashi ordered when Naruto had been ready to pounce. Naruto hesitantly obeyed, still filled with rage.

Kakashi laid Haku down, still supporting his upper body with an arm. He placed a hand over Haku's eyes and slowly shut them, the muscles in the boy's finally relaxed from the shock.

Haku was dead.

Kakashi glared at Zabuza with hatred. Naruto clenched his fists tightly.

Just then, Sakura's voice came, "Naruto, what's wrong with you! Where's Kagome?"

Truthfully, Sakura didn't care for Kagome that much. She only asked so she could show Sasuke that she cared for his 'interest'.

Sasuke clenched his fists tightly, as Naruto turned his head to Sakura.

Sakura noticed Naruto's grief-stricken expression.

_'Had something…happened?' _Sakura thought to herself. She ran back to where the mirrors once were. She didn't know why now, but she had to find Kagome. She wanted to know what happened.

Though she had a feeling she already knew.

* * *

Sakura and Tazuna tried looking for where Kagome's body was. They could not find it because some of the mist still remained around them.

Sakura then spotted something a few yards away. They both ran towards it and stopped when they got close enough.

They had found Kagome. Sakura gasped in horror at Kagome's body covered with blood and senbons. She kneeled next to her body as Tazuna stood a few feet away, with shock written all over his expression.

Sakura stared at Kagome for a long time, her face impeccably in shock. She didn't know what to do, or how to react. She placed a hand against her cheek, and shivered at how cold it felt under her hand.

A part of her wanted to jump for joy because the girl who held Sasuke's interest was gone; she would have no more competition. But another part of her wanted to scream at her other self for being so cruel and mourn for the loss of a teammate. Sakura was torn. So she just sat there, staring at Kagome silently.

Tazuna walked up from behind and said quietly, "I don't believe it. This girl was so strong and yet...she's actually gone. It's hard to believe someone like her would be...dead...right now." Sakura nodded slightly in agreement, not quite believing that this was for real, still.

Sakura and Tazuna's attentions were caught when they heard a sound.

Sakura's eyes widened at seeing Kagome's hand twitch. Then, her chest rose and fell slowly and Sakura heard breaths emitting from Kagome.

Then, her eyes opened. Tazuna's eyes widened and Sakura gasped.

Kagome's usual chocolate brown eyes were dulled out, but they were open and full of life.

"Kagome..." Sakura whispered. She felt happy that she was alive yet also felt the opposite of that.

Kaogme slowly sat up and shook her head, as she realized something.

Haku had not killed her. It may have seemed like it but...he only did the same thing he had done with Zabuza before.

Haku had pierced Zabuza with his senbons, making his heart stop for a while, but not having to had killed him in the process. He did the same thing with her; hitting no major artery in her body. He doesn't want to kill anyone, Kagome thought to herself with realization. He had been telling the truth when he had told them all that.

Haku wasn't the bad guy.

* * *

"I'd stay focused if I were you, Kakashi!" Zabuza yelled as he swung his blade at Kakashi.

Kakashi reacted quickly and sent a quick to his face, making him reel back.

They fought against each other, but Zabuza could not match Kakashi's speed and received the most blows.

_'Why...can't I keep up with him?' _Zabuza thought to himself in anger.

Kakashi jabbed him in the face, drawing blood and making him spin to the side. The sword he held scraped the ground as he twisted his body around to regain his balance. Zabuza felt himself grow weak, and he panted slightly.

Then, Zabuza felt his anger grow and he yelled, "I'LL SPLIT YOU IN HALF!" and swung his sword at Kakashi once more. Kakashi easily dodged by just stepping back. Zabuza swung his sword vertically. It dented the ground as Kakashi dissapeared. Zabuza's eyes widened as he felt something press against the back of his neck.

Kakashi was behind him, holding his neck in a vice grip by his fingers. "Look at you...falling apart. I knew you didn't have what it takes for the long haul. You have no idea what real strength is..." Kakashi scolded Zabuza with disappointment and anger in his voice.

Zabuza growled lowly.

Kakashi stabbed two kunai in one of Zabuza's arms, rendering it useless. Kakashi swung two more kunai in his hand dangerously as he brought them out from his bag. "Game over. You lose." Kakashi declared and he brought the kunai down.

At that same time, Zabuza twisted his body around and swung his sword to cut off Kakashi's head. Kakashi was able to stab his arm with the kunai before he was able to dodge the incoming swing. The sword was released from Zabuza's grasp since Kakashi had damaged his arm and it slid a few feet away.

Kakashi regained his footing a few feet away, with Naruto and Sasuke watching behind him with shock.

"Now what will you do? Both your arms are useless and you can't even make hand signs." Kakashi provoked Zabuza, which seemed to have done the trick. Zabuza growled and was about to launch at him, even if he couldn't use his arms to fight him...

Until another person stepped in from the sidelines.

"Hm?" Kakashi looked in the direction of the newcomer, along with everyone else who was there.

"He did quite a job on you, Zabuza. You look like yesterday's sashimi**(1)**." the person spoke with slight humor.

Zabuza shifted his eyes over.

"I must say I'm...disappointed." the person said. A short man that had a bandaged arm with a cane, and a hundred other rebels and/or thieves behind him, obediently standing behind him like a master and his pet.

"What is this about, Gato? Who the hell are they?" Zabuza said and he glanced at the men behind the short man who were sending snickers in his direction.

Gato 'hned' carelessly. He chuckled, "There has been a slight change in plans. According to the new one, you are going to die right here on this bridge..."

Zabuza's eyes widened. "What?"

Gato smirked at his reaction. "You're too expensive to keep in hire. So I'm cutting off the deal. Even these thugs I brought are worth something more than you." Gato chuckled again.

"Look at you Zabuza..._demon of the mist_. You look just as demonic as a wet kitten." he said, which brought a roar of laughter and taunting jeers in Zabuza's direction.

_'I thought one rogue ninja was bad enough...' _Naruto thought to himself grimly, glancing at about the 100 men behind Gato.

"Well, well, Kakashi. It seems that our fight is over now that I am no longer under the services of Gato. Tazuna is safe." Zabuza said as his shoulder slightly slumped in defeat. Kakashi paused and nodded. He glanced at Gato, who was walking forward. "It would seem so..." Kakashi eyed the short man's broken arm curiously. He didn't know why it was like that in the first place.

Gato walked up right beside Haku's body. He narrowed his eyes behind his shades and growled, "You little punk...you nearly broke my arm from before-!" That answered Kakashi's mental question. "-I've been meaning to repay you for that." he smirked as he placed a foot against Haku's face, jostling it slightly.

Then, he swung that foot against his face. _Hard_.

"I only wish he was alive to have felt that..." Gato muttered disappointingly as he poked the body with his cane.

Naruto growled and sprinted towards Gato, intended on tearing him piece by piece. Kakashi held his waist before he could barely get past him and said, "Stop it, Naruto!"

Kakashi thought Naruto was going to pounce at Gato when he was strong enough to rip out of his grasp. But instead, Naruto stood there and glared at Zabuza's back. "Are you going to let him treat him like that? Is that it?" he yelled at Zabuza.

"Haku's dead. What does it matter?" Zabuza responded harshly.

Naruto couldn't believe he was hearing this. After everything Haku did for him...Zabuza just...

That scum...

"You mean he means nothing to you even after you guys have been together for years?"

Zabuza's voice responded, this time colder, "You don't know the way of the shinobi. I merely used him...just as Gato used me."

"That is the most _damned _excuse I've ever heard." a new voice came.

Kakashi smiled underneath his mask, whereas Sasuke and Naruto looked back with widened eyes as they had recognized the voice. Naruto felt some tears build up, but held them back since they were still in a critical situation.

Kagome was limping towards them, covered with blood and senbons, alive. Sakura and Tazuna were following right behind her.

Sasuke felt his relief overcome him seeing her alive. He thought he lost her forever...

Kagome stood in front of Naruto, despite the pain in her legs and growled, "Is that all you ever thought of Haku? As some sort of _weapon_?" she spat the last word with venom.

Zabuza was unresponsive, but Kagome already knew his answer.

She growled loudly and yelled, "You're even more despicable than I thought! UNGRATEFUL BASTARD! You have no idea what Haku did just for you! _You_, of all people! He threw his entire life away for you!"

Something echoed through her mind.

**_'Will you let me stay with you?' _**

"He lived for you! He tried fulfilling your dream and tried making your life better..."

**_'I want you to be happy...I want you to laugh a lot...' _**

She shut her eyes tightly at her own quotes running through her mind. She felt the bitterness overwhelm her.

"He sacrificed everything...his own dreams, his life, _everything_ he could have had...just for you. He stood by your side after all these years just for you..."

**_'I will always be by your side.' _**

The voice stopped in her mind, but not her words. She opened her eyes and yelled at Zabuza with fury. "But he never cared, because he was happy...happy because of you...AND YOU NEVER ONCE GAVE A DAMN ABOUT HIS OWN FEELINGS? YOU'RE EVEN MORE DESPICABLE THAN GATO!" her voice died down. She spoke quietly, "I was right...people like you are all the same...after you have no use for them...you just..."

An image of Inuyasha ran through her mind. Him abandoning her. "...you just throw them away, like trash. That's just too cruel...so wrong..." she finished, her hands clenching hard enough to draw more blood. Kakashi sadly stared at her from behind.

Sasuke and Naruto were speechless beyond words. Words...could not comprehend how deep her words cut through them.

Zabuza was silent for a long moment.

"You talk too much..."

Kagome opened her eyes and stared at his back. They all saw something dripping in front of Zabuza and in front of his feet. It wasn't raining...

Zabuza lifted his head up slightly, revealing his eyes that were hidden the whole time. Everyone gasped in total shock at the sight before them.

Zabuza...was shedding tears. Kagome had brought the demon of the mist to tears.

"Your words cut deep...deeper than any blade." he said quietly. Kagome's eyes widened slightly. Then she realized...he did care. He had cared about Haku. He had not realized it until now.

Zabuza stared at the ground where his tears splattered onto. "Haku was always to kind and gentle...he felt pain and sorrow..." he glanced at Haku's body. "...now, curse him for making me feel these emotions as well!" his voice sounded angry, yet it held so much remorse in it. Kagome's eyes narrowed sadly and she looked to the side. Naruto came up next to her and stared at her, then to Zabuza.

Zabuza said, "I feel contempt that this is the way it ends..." and ripped away the wrappings around his mouth. He was human. He smirked, when he could feel the shock emitting from the blonde boy behind. "Surprised to find that I am human? No matter how hard some of us might try, we fail to hide that fact. Or at least..._I _fail." his smirk disappeared from his face.

"Boy..." Naruto's head slightly shot up, knowing well he was referring to him. "Give me your kunai."

Naruto was confused, since he knew that both Zabuza's arms were immobile. Wordlessly, Naruto took a kunai from his pouch and tossed it towards Zabuza. Zabuza did not use his arms, but his mouth, to catch the kunai.

Then, almost as fast as lightning, he charged.

Panicking, Gato ran away and cowardly through his crowd of men, yelling, "Kill him, NOW!" They readied their weapons as Zabuza came at them with his top speed. They thought he was insane taking on all of them like this. Then, their mockeries were proved wrong since Zabuza had cut through them and wounded almost a quarter of the men with the kunai in his mouth.

One by one, Zabuza either wounded or killed the men. They were not his target, though. He cut halfway through the crowd of men, slaughtering them as they got in his way. A man managed to drive a spear into Zabuza's back, but that didn't stop him. Two more spears were driven in his back as Gato came into his line of peripheral vision.

_'Finally...'_ Zabuza thought as he charged at Gato who as a few yards away with a panicked expression on his face. Then, Zabuza felt something slam on his head and made him fall to the ground. Gato was relieved after that.

"I don't care if Haku died because of Gato and you want revenge on him. I still have unfinished business I need to settle with him."

Zabuza looked up, only to see Kagome's serious straight face staring at Gato. She took a step towards Gato, who unconsciously took a step back, seeing the new danger.

"I've been waiting for this moment..._Gato_."

She narrowed her eyes. "You killed my family!" she charged at him. Gato tried moving back, but Kagome proved to be faster.

She drew a kunai and stabbed it into an arm. He grimaced in pain as Kagome stood in front of him with a dangerous look in her eyes.

"_That _was for my grandfather!"

She drew her katana and stabbed it into his broken arm, which brought more pain to his now immobile arm. "_That _was for my little brother!"

She pushed him away and he fell to the ground on his back. Kagome stood a few feet away. Her eyes lit with fury.

"And _this _is for MY MOTHER!" she yelled and spread her arms out.

"WATER STYLE: TEARS OF A THOUSAND KUNAI!"** (2) **

The moisture in the air turned into water droplets that surrounded them. Zabuza looked around in amazement as the water drops floated around him. The drops hovered above them all, creating a large water dome.

Kagome's eyes were filled with hate for Gato as he stared at his panicked expression. He deserved the pain that was going to come for him.

She shifted her arms behind so her hands were drawn behind her. With a battle cry, she thrust her hands forward towards Gato as the drops turned into kunai and they shot at him. Gato's eyes widened and shut at the same time, preparing himself for the impact of a thousand knives.

But there was none after a minute later.

He opened his eyes, his breath hitching in his throat. The kunais that were going to stab him were surrounding him, floating in place in the air. Kagome's hand was still outstretched in front of her.

Then, Kagome lowered her arm and shut her eyes, the kunai falling and cluttering around Gato.

Gato was relieved, but Zabuza and everyone else was shocked. Sasuke's eyes were still widened. _'Why didn't she kill him? Isn't that what she wanted?' _Sasuke thought to himself.

Kagome spoke up. "My whole life...I had waited for this moment. To find and take my revenge on you for killing my family..." she opened her eyes and looked at him. "As much as I want to kill you..." the lighting in her eyes changed as they shook. She looked away. "I just can't...I'll be no better than you..." her back faced him as she abruptly turned and started walking away, her head held high proudly.

Gato stood up shakily, staring at her retreating form. He was relieved she didn't kill him.

"Just because _she _can't kill you, doesn't mean _I _can't." a deadly voice said from behind.

Zabuza smirked with the kunai held in his mouth. With three deadly blows...Gato's body shed blood and it was tossed over the side of the port into the water.

Gato was finally dead. Zabuza killed him.

Zabuza turned and staggered through the crowd of thugs as they parted a path for him. He stood and glanced up and he saw...Haku...

"Haku...never once did I ever thank you...f-forgive me...for that..." Zabuza muttered and he fell face-down to the ground.

Kakashi stared at Zabuza with mob of thugs were infuriated and were about to charge when an arrow stopped them in their paths as it staked the ground in front of them. Everyone looked behind.

The whole village was standing their with their household weapons. In front of them all stood Inari, with a crossbow and another arrow ready.

Naruto smiled. "Inari!" Inari gave him a cheesy grin and yelled, "Heroes usually come at the last minute!"

The mob didn't seem quite convinced so Naruto put his hands in a sign and yelled, "SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!" and 5 Naruto's appeared in a cloud of smoke. The mob was intimidated, but stood their ground. Kakashi's eyes were half-lidded since he was depelted of his energy. "Maybe I have just enough chakra to help you..." he said and formed a similar hand sign. In a poof, about a hundred Kakashi's stood.

"SHADOW CLONE JUTSU: KAKASHI STYLE!"

That did the trick and the whole mob of thugs took off in the large boat on the port they had used since they had gotten here.

When they had disappeared, the whole village cheered. They were finally free. Inari dropped his crossbow and ran to Tazuna, crying "Grandpa!" and hugged him. Tazuna chuckled as he ruffled the boy's hair. "Inari, you've become just like your father! I'm so proud of you!"

Kakashi smiled at the celebration going on, as Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto stood around each other, talking. Well, at least Sakura and Naruto anyway. Kakashi stared to the side and his smile faltered. Everyone looked the same direction, pausing their moment.

Kagome stood next to Zabuza's body, intently. Zabuza muttered out as he looked up at her, "Please...take me to Haku...I want to see him one more time...before I die." Kagome's eyes softened at his plea and she nodded, bending over. Zabuza's arm was slung over her shoulder as she slowly dragged him over to Haku's body, everyone watching.

Then, small snowflakes fell from the sky. It was snowing gently. Everyone in the village looked up in disbelief. Tazuna muttered, "Impossible...it's snowing...at this time of year..."

Sasuke watched as Kagome carefully laid Zabuza's body next to Haku's after she had pulled out the spears imbedded in his back, and stepped away.

Zabuza turned his head towards Haku next to him sadly. "You were always by my side...the least I can do is stay by you in the end..." Zabuza whispered to Haku's body. Zabuza slowly and shakily raised an arm, despite the pain shooting through it, and placed a hand against Haku's cheek. "I wish I could go to where you are...right now..." he said sadly. "How I wish I could...join you there...Haku..."

Through the clouds, a small light shined down upon them both.

Kagome's expression softened at the scene. Even after Zabuza never treated Haku fairly, he was now dying and apologizing to Haku for all he did.

Kagome's expression lowered. Inuyasha never did that before she died. But then again...he went with Kikyo. He never cared for her, she realized that a long time ago.

"Kagome..." Zabuza's voice croaked out. Kagome raised her head in shock, hearing him call her by her first name for the first time. Zabuza never looked at her as he asked, "Do you think...I will be able to join Haku...?"

Kagome smiled slightly. She kneeled next to him. "I am a priestess, Zabuza. I will send a prayer to help you unite with him...but...I think you are already going to be with him, though..."

Zabuza smiled a little and whispered, "Thank you..." and he closed his eyes and died like that. Kagome placed her hands together and made a silent prayer to the dead.

After that, she stood and stared at the two bodies. They were going to be united, even in death. They were both finally at peace.

Then, a bright light emitted from the other side of the dock. Kagome raised her head and her expression turned to shock. Everyone else was confused by the bright light.

Kagome stepped around the bodies and stood there, watching as the light took a form. Kagome's eyes widened immensely.

Team 7 identified the form as it took shape, seeing a woman standing there with a familiar face. They didn't know who it was.

Kagome croaked loudly, "M...Mom?" The team's expression turned to shock.

The woman gave a smile. "Kagome..." the woman said and Kagome felt her eyes become moist. Then, the woman started to fade and Kagome gasped. "MOM! DON'T GO!" she cried as she ran towards her.

The woman disappeared as Kagome's hand grasped the form. Kagome's arm was still outstretched as she stood there in a trance. She lowered her arm and stared at the sky, watching as the clouds started to cover the light shining through. "M..Mom..." Kagome whimpered quietly as she fell to her knees, shakily.

Kagome clenched her hands into a fist as she shook violently. She wasn't going to cry...she wasn't going to cry.

Kakashi stood behind her, a sad expression on his face. _'She's going into shock...' _Kakashi thought to himself sadly as he watched her shake. He kneeled down next to her and placed a hand on her back in a comforting way. Then, he hooked his arms under her legs and back and lifted her up, holding her the same way he used to when she was little. Kagome didn't say anything but only buried her face in his shoulder.

Kakashi turned and started to walk back to the others, as they watch the strongest girl they knew go into shock. Sasuke stared at Kagome as she looked...broken. But she wouldn't cry, even after seeing the face of her own dead mother. He wondered how strong Kagome was, seeing her not breaking down. His heart hurt for the girl as he watched her shake violently.

Kakashi stopped and looked at the others. "We should get back...Kagome's exhausted." he said and started walking back, as Kilala jumped on Kakashi's shoulder and sadly mewed at her master. **(3) **Sasuke caught and walked close to Kakashi, staring at Kagome the whole time.

_Depression is not a sign of weakness...it just shows that you've been strong for too long._

* * *

**Yes, Kagome finally got her revenge! But now...she's really sad D: who will be there for her! :O**

**Btw, I was offended by the anonymous review saying they counted my reviews and wanted me to update. I had gotten rid of it because it didn't motivate me as much. You know****who you are. ****I'm not mad, just offended. **It takes time for me to write so don't expect me to automatically update after there is more than the number of reviews I request -.-.

**The quotes that ran through Kagome's mind were from Inuyasha episode 48. **

**Until then...**

**Sayonara!**

**(1) A Japanese delicacy consisting of raw seafood sliced in pieces and served with dipping sauce.**

**(2) I made that jutsu up.**

**(3) Kilala had been with them all for the whole time, in case you have forgotten. **

**NEW RULE:**

**Any chapter less than 10 reviews = will not think about updating.**

**I lowered the number of reviews because I'm being nice and you all have supported me greatly with the story so far!**


	7. Ch 7: Broken inside

**WOW! I never knew my story could get this far but, THANK YOU everyone for helping my story reach past the 100 review mark! You have no idea how happy I feel about this! Words cannot express my gratitude! :D**

**I'm pretty sure some of you expected me to update on Thanksgiving, but I couldn't. I went up to my cousin's house for the whole break (5 hour road trip to get there x.x). They had a computer, but people were constantly using it (also, went to the desert for dirtbike riding, and there was NO WIFI x3).**

**I hope you all continue to review and thank you everyone who has reviewed :)**

_**Response to reviews: **_

_**(no name): Inuyasha and the others? Exactly, that won't happen. But that will be revealed later in the story. **_

_**Aryabloodlust: I basically just made Kagome's mom appear to show how proud she was of her not killing Gato. (shrug)**_

_**S3rrenity4193: I know Naruto may seem weak, but honestly, he's not. I mainly focus on Sasuke and Kagome (because that's the main pairing) so I don't write about Naruto or Sakura in scenes a lot, so it may seem like he's doing nothing. Just giving a head's up. **_

_**merlyn1392: Sorry I haven't answered since you reviewed. The reason why her clan's symbol is a crescent moon is because of her dog demon side. You know like how Sesshomaru has the symbol on his forehead along with his mom and dad? Yeah, just like that.**_

**Warning: Some Sakura bashing. I'll see how it goes.**

**-AU so however this fic goes, IT GOES LIKE THAT….**

Main Summary: After friends and family are killed, Kagome dies and is reborn into the Naruto world; but with some deadly secrets. She attends the Ninja academy and joins team 7 as a new life begins for her. But what happens when everything from Kagome's past returns for her…? AU

Pairing: Sasuke/Kagome

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto. They belong to their rightful owners.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

"Thank you for helping us. Because of you all we were able to restore the bridge." Tazuna said to team 7 as they were at the exit of the now finished bridge with the rest of the village.

"I can't tell you how much we're going to miss you." Tazuna said with a sad smile. Tsunami nodded and said, "You all be careful as you go back. Good luck!" She smiled.

Kakashi nodded with a smile under his mask. Naruto grinned and said, "Don't get all choked up. We'll come back to visit soon!" Inari sniffled, trying to hold back tears. Inari grew a bond with Naruto and they were like brothers.

"You swear you will?" Inari asked, his voice wavering a bit. Naruto felt his own eyes water and he said with a quivering voice, "Of course. Y-you know…it's alright to cry if you want. Nothing wrong with it."

Inari sniffled again and he said, "Maybe I don't want to! Why don't you cry if you say it's alright?"

"You first!" Naruto shouted, his voice cracking slightly. They had a small staring contest to see who would cry first, with sniffling and their eyes building with tears. Naruto spun away as the tears fell as Inari's fell as well. It looked as if it was a draw.

Sakura dully looked at Naruto next to her, thinking, _'Boys can be so pathetic…'_

Everyone said their goodbyes and they walked away.

As they walked, Naruto placed his hands behind his head and he laughed, "Once we get back, I'm going to make Iruka-sensei fix me up with a bunch of ramen!"

Sakura rolled her eyes and looked at Sasuke from across with a sweet grin. "Sasuke! When we get back, want to do something together?"

Sasuke said without even looking at her. "No." but his tone sounded as if he was saying,'not on your life'. Sakura's head hung low at the rejection.

Naruto looked at Sakura and said, "I'll do something with you if you want, Sakura!" Sakura glared and yelled at Naruto, "THAT WAS A PRIVATE CONVERSATION!" then she started chasing Naruto in anger, who was trying to avoid her wrath.

Sasuke looked around, noting something missing. "Where's Kagome at?" he asked. Sakura stopped hitting Naruto as he shot his head up and looked around. "Yeah, I didn't see Kagome at all when we left! Where-"

A loud roar emitted from behind him, which made him yelp and duck his head instinctively as something flew over his head. Naruto looked up, only to see Kilala's larger form flying away; with Kagome on board.

Naruto blinked a few times and asked, "Why is she going back by herself?"

Kakashi stared at the skies where Kagome disappeared to. "She just…wants to be alone now. She has mixed feelings at the moment." he said, trying to reassure them.

Sasuke couldn't help but worry though.

* * *

It had been 3 days since they all got back. Naruto met up with Iruka and got his ramen(of course).

Sakura kept on trying to get Sasuke to go out with her but was rejected badly, and Kakashi met up with the Hokage to discuss some private meetings.

Kagome…hasn't been seen with the others lately.

A hand knocked on a door.

"Kagome-chan? Are you there?" Naruto's voice called from the door outside her house. When he got no response, he sighed and looked up at the window of her house. He couldn't hide the fact he was worried. "Kagome!" he called again.

He knocked on the door again. With no response once again, Naruto slid the door open. It was quiet.

Naruto, with his usual curiosity, stepped in the house. He never _ever _went into her house. It scared him because Kagome might come out of nowhere and murder him.

That was a chance he was going to take, anyway.

"Kagome-chan?" Naruto hollered and his voice echoed through the house. It seemed so cold and empty in here, to him. It could be mistaken for a haunted house, instead of inhabited. He walked around and observed the place.

The living room area; no Kagome. There was a room full of books and scrolls, with one scroll lying halfway across a small desk.

Then, there was one room he hadn't checked.

Her room.

He gulped a little, as he mentally dreaded every second of going towards where it might be.

Naruto slowly, so _slowly, _slid the door open. He was shocked by the first thing he saw.

It looked a mess. There were some shredded pieces of clothing, he didn't know why, around the floor, with the bed unmade in the corner. What caught his eyes the most were the large scratches across the walls; which made him even more curious.

Where did these come from, Naruto wondered.

"Kagome-chan?" he called again, this time hesitant. He took a step in and looked around.

He heard a low growling and he froze. He jumped a little when he heard it again. Then, it stopped as he looked down.

It was only Kilala.

He breathed a sigh of relief and he knelt down. "Hey there, Kilala." he said with a smile and petted the neko, who purred in response.

He tilted his head curiously. "Have you seen Kagome-chan at all? Do you know where she..." he felt stupid talking to a cat who might not understand him. Kilala just tilted her head confusingly with a mew for her response, wagging her tails.

"Well, wh-" he started but stopped when he looked at the shelf nearby. His eyes were glued to the pictures on there. He stood up and walked over, gazing at them individually.

Kagome was in one of the pictures he was looking at, with three other people who had some familiar faces. The young boy and older woman had Kagome's face while the elderly one looked somewhat related. He looked at the woman. It looked like the person who appeared on the bridge-

_'They must have been Kagome's family' _Naruto realized/thought to himself sadly. He looked at the next one, blinking a few times.

There were people he didn't even recognize from the village on this picture, about four of them.

He blinked a few times, seeing a lady in it with the same boomerang Kagome used in combat...

Then, there was a little boy who looked like a fox, who's expression reminded him of his own sometimes.

Then, there was two guys, one who wore some purple robes and the other one had unusually white, long hair.

Observing, his hair wasn't like Kakashi's, Naruto noted the man wearing the red robes; it was more of a more brighter hue versus Kakashi's. The man had golden cat-like eyes that somewhat matched his complexion so well.

Are those dog ears, Naruto thought to himself.

"What the hell are you doing here?" a voice asked from behind. Naruto looked behind and froze.

It was Kagome.

"K-Kagome-chan, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-" Naruto stuttered out, placing his hands in front of him in a defensive manner. He was in through a lot of Hell now-

"Don't be. Just leave."

How very shocking.

Naruto lowered his hands slowly, blinking a few times in surprise. "Kagome?" he said.

Kagome lifted her head slightly. Naruto saw the look in her eyes, and it made him shudder.

They were blank...lifeless. Like a broken doll.

"Leave." she repeated in a monotone voice. Naruto simply obliged and left the room, with Kagome following behind.

Naruto stepped out of the house with her, keeping his worried gaze on her. Through the whole silence she hadn't even glanced at him, only hung her head low.

Naruto walked away, but Kagome went the opposite direction.

Naruto knew she was in depression, and his expression dropped staring at her retreating form, feeling her silent sorrow.

_I couldn't tell you why she felt that way_  
_She felt it everyday_

_'Kagome-chan...I hate seeing you like this...' _Naruto thought to himself sadly and turned his head, looking straight ahead of himself as he walked away.

_And I couldn't help her_  
_I just watched her make the same mistakes again_

Kagome hung her head low, not even bothering to glance up as she walked through the forest, her paces slowed. She looked as if she had no care in the world; in a bitter way. She was like a zombie; but only living and containing emotions.

She looked up as she came to a small secluded area surrounded by trees. There was a house that looked so old, very old, with paint and wood chipped off from the supposed years of wearing; it was a wonder how it was still standing in this condition. It looked as if it was abandoned...

_What's wrong, what's wrong now?_  
_Too many, too many problems_  
_Don't know where she belongs, where she belongs_

Kagome opened the door and it produced a large creaking sound.

Kagome looked around inside, observing all the old furnishings that were either ripped up or tipped over, the walls having scratches and some cobwebs in the corners. The view focused past the blurred image of a cobweb, and at Kagome who stepped inside the old house.

But not just any old house.

Her old house.

The house was filled with so many memories...good memories...and it pained her.

Her heart hurt as it bled through her mental suffering, the small battle she fought inside herself.

Kagome looked around, seeing illusions of small memories run through her head. She saw her with her family with every image she saw. How happy she looked back then...

The many emotions that were trapped throughout the house made the air feel heavy to her. Then, the illusions faded, leaving Kagome alone in the empty and cold room by herself.

Isolation...

_She wants to go home, but nobody's home_  
_It's where she lies, broken inside_

"Mom...Souta...Grandpa?" Kagome called out, her voice echoing through the hollow house. There was no response, but she already knew that was going to happen. They're dead, after all.

She was alone. She was cold...and she was alone...

She turned on her heel and walked away, no longer able to bear the overwhelming memories that flashed before her eyes.

_With no place to go, no place to go to dry her eyes_  
_Broken inside_

Kagome stepped out of the house and started walking away.

Then, she stopped and looked to the side. She stared at the figure shadowing a large area around her.

The Goshinboku.

She silently stepped towards the Goshinboku.

The tree that started it all. Her adventures, meeting her friends, and even Inuyasha. The trees held so many memories. Her whole life story could be told by this tree if it could talk.

Kagome pressed a hand up against the tree, feeling the rough bark beneath her fingers as she traced it slowly. She slid her hand slowly down, remembering the first time she met Inuyasha as her hand touched the indented mark of where the arrow pinned Inuyasha so long ago. Then..._everything else_...that happened after that.

Why did this happen to her? She deserved better than this...she should've been happy.

She sacrificed so much for many others...

Was there punishment for being good?

She lost her friends...and her one true love abandoned her for her own incarnation...Kikyo.

Kikyo had tried killing her many times, and yet Kagome saved her so many times. And yet Inuyasha still went with _Kikyo_?

This wasn't right. Kagome should be the one happy...

But she wasn't. Her happiness was taken from her the day she lost everyone she loved.

_Open your eyes and look outside, find the reasons why  
You've been rejected, and now you can't find what you left behind  
_

_'Am I that inferior to Kikyo?' _Kagome thought to herself as she shut her eyes tightly, her hand fisting the bark.

Where was her happy ending?

Will she ever have one?

_Be strong, be strong now  
Too many, too many problems_

The dark clouds rolled overhead, the day being darkened almost instantly; mirroring her depression. Thunder clapped overhead. Kagome looked up at the sky through the trees.

It was as if the sky was mimicking her emotions...

She hung her head low with a sigh and climbed down the roots of the Goshinboku, walking back to town. Rain fell and crashed on the earth's surface as Kagome walked away, the Goshinboku still in backwards view from her.

Then, it was gone.

_Don't know where she belongs, where she belongs_

Everyone went indoors because of the sudden change in the weather. Some peered out their windows in interest of the rain clashing in the streets of Konoha. Some closed their drapes while others watched as one person walked through the rain. They closed the blinds, and they muttered indistinct words through the closed windows of their houses.

Kagome slowly walked through the streets, her bangs limp and sticking to her face; the water soaking them and herself to the bone. But she didn't care.

Her form walking with her head hung low looked so heartbreaking...

She looked so broken...

_She wants to go home, but nobody's home  
It's where she lies, broken inside_

Kagome finally arrived at her house and she slid the door open. She stood there and lifted her head up slowly. It was just as empty and cold as the older house...

But this time...there was no feeling of memories or anyone else here. This house didn't have the kind of weight compared to the other one. The air was lighter and yet...it felt even more emptier...

_With no place to go, no place to go to dry her eyes  
Broken inside_

The floors became wet as she walked through; her clothes and hair dripping of water leaving a large trail behind her.

_Her feelings she hides_  
_Her dreams she can't find_  
_She's losing her mind_  
_She's fallen behind_  
_She can't find her place_  
_She's losing her faith_  
_She's fallen from grace_  
_She's all over the place_

Kagome slid open the door of her room, looking around. Kilala woke up and mewed a few times, seeing her soaked form as it shivered violently. Kagome hadn't realized she was freezing to death like this.

_'What does it matter anyway if I get sick? Hopefully it will end my suffering...' _Kagome thought to herself grimly, walking over and flopping on her bed on her back, her arms sprawled next to her.

She turned over on her bed, her cheek resting against her pillow. She drifted her gaze to the pictures. She focused on the image of her mother in one of them.

_'Mom...' _she wept to herself mentally, clutching the pillow with both hands, and pressed her face in the pillow, trying to vent out some of her pain into it.

_She wants to go home, but nobody's home_  
_It's where she lies, broken inside_  
_With no place to go, no place to go to dry her eyes_  
_Broken inside_

It seemed like whatever she did to rid the pain never worked. Training...meditation...anything...

She didn't want to suffer like this; all her memories kept her at bay like this. She just wanted to forget, but no matter how hard she tried...she couldn't; deep down, she knew to herself she couldn't forget.

_She's lost inside, lost inside..._

She couldn't forget the ones she loved.

_She's lost inside, lost inside..._

And that's why she wouldn't take this suffering much longer.

* * *

**Later that night...**

Sasuke came up to Kagome's house. Without even thinking about it, he slid the door open of her house and walked in. He looked around the house, being slightly mused by the room's simplicity.

Why would he be here?

Sasuke walked around the house, trying to find Kagome. He hadn't seen her since their return.

Sasuke was worried about her, no denying it. He wanted to see her. He wanted to be there for her, especially in her time of suffering.

Sasuke opened the door of her room and his eyes widened. He walked in slowly and looked at the damage done to the walls, and the shredded clothing on her floor.

_'What happened here?' _Sasuke thought to himself curiously. He looked over at the bed, a dreaded feeling setting over him.

Kagome wasn't there.

Where could she be?

Sasuke suddenly felt the same bad feeling before he saw his parents...

Without a second thought, Sasuke quickly ran and opened the window, jumping outside and on top of buildings as fast as he could in the dead of the night.

_'Don't do something you will regret, Kagome!' _Sasuke thought to himself as he took off looking for her.

* * *

**(Updated 12/2/10) **

**SONG USED: 'Nobody's home' by Avril Lavigne. **

**Sorry for not mentioning the song it earlier, I kind of forgot. Thank you WraithReaper for pointing that out for me!**

**Until then,**

**Sayonara!**

**NEW RULE:  
Any chapter less than 10 reviews = will not think about updating. **


	8. Ch 8: In the arms of an angel

**Sorry fellow followers of this story for not updating for a while. I did not abandon it or put it on hiatus. So let me just point things out right now:**

**#1: I had been studying for my high school finals (I didn't fail!) and it was crazy. **

**#2: Had a teensy-tiny writer's block. **

**I read all the reviews and they make me as jolly as a roger! **

**...I cannot believe I just said that. But it's my favorite time of the year, so whatever. Thank you for your reviews and enjoy this chapter!**

**Note: Check out my story 'Journey of the heart' if you can. It would support me dearly if you reviewed on it. But that's up to you. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Inuyasha. They belong to their rightful owners.**

**Warning: Some Sakura bashing. I'll see how it goes.**

**-AU so however the story goes, ****IT GOES LIKE THAT…**

Main Summary: After friends and family are killed, Kagome dies and is reborn into the Naruto world; but with some deadly secrets. She attends the Ninja academy and joins team 7 as a new life begins for her. But what happens when everything from Kagome's past returns for her…? AU

Pairing: Sasuke/Kagome

* * *

**Chapter 8 **

Kagome walked through the damp streets of Konoha in the dead of the night, the rest of the people asleep in their own homes apparantely due to the eerie silence that hushed the streets. The dark clouds were still overhead, but the rain had just let up about an hour ago, and thus the streets being slippery and wet everywhere.

Kagome made sure she walked as quietly as possible while carrying a lantern in hand.

Kagome had gotten out of bed a few hours ago and she had planned to go outside. But when she had saw the lantern she had used sometimes when she went out for training late in the night, she had pondered her options and then took it with her. She had quietly slipped out of her home and hadn't even bothered to lock it and left.

Kilala must still be in the house, sleeping.

Kagome slowly tread through the dampened forest, and the mud stained her ninja shoes. She didn't seem to mind, as she focused her gaze straight ahead. She stopped when she got far enough, and looked behind at the small lights from the street lamps in the distance that illuminated the town.

_**Spend all your time waiting. **_

_**For that second chance**_

_**For a break that would make it okay**_

_**There's always one reason**_

_**To feel not good enough**_

_**And it's hard at the end of the day**_

_**I need some distraction**_

_**Oh beautiful release**_

_**Memory seeps from my veins**_

_**Let me be empty**_

_**And weightless and maybe**_

_**I'll find some peace tonight**_

She turned away and looked up at the sky, the stars shown clearly now that she was out of the excessive lighting in Konoha. Even if there was little to no lights at night, without being around them made the stars shine more clearly in the sky when Kagome stared at them.

Kagomee lifted the lantern that dangled in her hand from the handle she held, and a sloshing noise was heard as it slowly rocked back and forth due to the movement. The lantern was filled with oil. About halfway full and empty.

She stared intently at the lantern, as if she was expecting answers out of it. Kagome took the lantern in both hands and held it in front of her, then raised it over her head.

And dumped the oil inside the lantern onto her head, and the substance quickly spread and coated her body. She threw the lantern away and it rolled into some nearby trees.

Kagome shuddered at the sticky feeling on her, and the putrid smell along with it. It felt greasy and warm. It was very unusual...very unusual to do something like this...

Kagome ran through a couple of fire jutsu's mentally. The answer was now clear.

Kagome was going to kill herself. Suicide; and she wasn't going to stop at this point.

_**So tired of the straight line**_

_**And everywhere you turn**_

_**There's vultures and thieves at your back**_

_**And the storm keeps on twisting**_

_**You keep on building the lies**_

_**That you make up for all that you lack**_

_**It don't make no difference**_

_**Escaping one last time**_

_**It's easier to believe in this sweet madness**_

_**Oh this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees**_

Kagome did silent, quick hand motions, mouthing a few incoherent words. She felt her hand heat up and she slowly brought a hand to her face. This was the quickest death as possible at the last minute for Kagome.

Her eyes shifted to the stars. She wanted the heaven's to be the last thing she saw before...

Once she did the jutsu, whatever _fire _jutsu it was, a spark would erupt and light the gasoline on her body and burn her. It was going to hurt a lot, Kagome thought.

'_But it will be over...I won't have to suffer anymore...'_

She felt her hand heat up more, but there was no spark or flame.

Kagome stared intently at her hand, expecting it to do the job for her. Why wasn't her hand listening to her? Kagome wondered as shook her hand, sending a silent order for her hand to cooperate.

Maybe this wasn't the best thing, Kagome chewed her bottom lip as she thought. She shook her head. _'No, I can't live like this...' _

She felt control of her hand, and she was ready.

But there was footsteps, rustling of a few trees, and that's all Kagome heard before something had latched onto her from behind.

Kagome struggled at her captor, her arms at her sides in a tight grip by the arms that encircled her from behind. Kagome glared at the person holding her back. None other than...

Sasuke.

"Sasuke, what the hell are you doing?" Kagome hissed out.

"Stopping you! What do you think _you're _doing?"

"Let me go! Now!"

Sasuke shook his head, which made Kagome even more angry.

"I'm not going to let you do something you will regret."

"I won't regret this! Now let me go!"

"No."

"Sasuke!"

Kagome thrashed in his tight grip, trying to at least free her arms so she could pull away from Sasuke. But Sasuke kept a vice grip around her, not letting her do her callous act.

Sasuke spoke as she continued to struggle, "You don't want this. You don't want to kill yourself."

Kagome hung her head low as her thrashings died out. "Yes, I do."

"No...you don't. I watched you...I watched as you hesitated. I saw it in your eyes; you weren't sure. You don't want to do it."

He was watching her?

Kagome shook her head. "Well, I made up my mind. Now release me."

Silence. The couple were still.

Sasuke spoke quietly, "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Kagome responded simply.

"Positive? No regrets?"

Kagome nodded. Sasuke turned his head away, and released her. Kagome looked back at him.

"Sasuke, just kill me."

Sasuke looked at her. His eyes were emotionless, no sign of stopping her. "Fine." He backed up and stood a few feet away from her, as she watched him.

His hands performed the hand signs for the fireball jutsu. No hesitation, no slowing. Kagome prepared herself.

Sasuke put a hand to his mouth and took a deep breath.

Kagome's eyes then widened. Her breathing started coming out rapidly.

Then, she was getting scared. She knew that she was going to die. But why was she feeling scared now?

As Sasuke released the fire from his mouth, Kagome shrieked and jumped out of the way of the attack.

Kagome's hands covered her head, her breathing coming out heavily from the adrenaline.

"You see? You don't want to die." Sasuke's voice broke through.

Kagome brought her hands down and looked back. She was more than surprised when the area she stood in wasn't burnt or there was no crater. She shifted her eyes more up and widened seeing that the crater was more away from the spot.

Her eyes connected with his. Seeing the look in his eyes, she realized he had not planned to actually kill her.

"You're confused. Lost." Sasuke said as he took a step forward towards her.

Kagome fell to her knees, realizing what might have just happened if he had tried to direct the fire towards her. She held her head in her hands, her body shaking.

Sasuke kneeled next to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder as he continued, "You feel lost...your emotions are clouding your mind and you're following whatever your feelings tell you to do. Your depression is telling you to do this. But your soul is telling you not to. You're torn with pain and lonliness...the isolation. But as the reality strikes you, you have second thoughts. You may not know it...but even if you had succeeded, you would have regretted it."

His words had cut deep into her, and she bent down even more, her hands clenching into fists as she lowered them.

"You miss the ones you loved so much...your emotions overwhelm your mind. The pain then becomes too much..." Sasuke said.

_**In the arms of an angel**_

_**Fly away from here**_

_**From this dark cold hotel room**_

_**And the endlessness that you fear**_

_**You are pulled from the wreckage**_

_**Of your silent reverie**_

_**You're in the arms of the angel**_

_**May you find some comfort there**_

Then, it was silent. There was only the movement of Kagome as she shook. Then, a whimper.

"Sasuke..."

Sasuke looked up at Kagome, as his thoughts had drifted his gaze somewhere else before.

"Please...make it stop." Kagome pleaded. Her voice sounded like a lost child.

She lifted her head, and Sasuke's eyes widened as he saw tears in them. They were bundled and looked like they were about to burst.

Sasuke placed another hand on her shoulder and sat in front of her, staring her in the eye. "Make what stop?"

Kagome lowered her eyes. She whimpered a little and resopnded hoarsely, "My chest...it hurts."

Sasuke immediately knew what she was feeling. She didn't know it, but her heart longed for some comfort. She had deprived herself from it so long...and now the heart hit her back full force from her self-neglection.

He had found his comfort...now she needed it too.

Sasuke placed a hand behind her head and gently lowered her head until her face was pressed against his chest.

Kagome gasped a little and squirmed in his arms, but he just held her head firmly against his chest.

"Cry." He said. It wasn't a request...it was more of a command. Sasuke knew she was trying to stay strong, but it was unhealthy for her not to let her emotions out.

Something snapped inside of Kagome. Her eyes widened, and they watered. Then, she buried her face in his chest and started to pour out years worth of tears and emotions out into it. She didn't even bother to hold herself back. Something told her not to.

Kagome slumped against him, and Sasuke placed his other arm around her waist and held her as she cried.

_**You're in the arms of an angel**_

_**May you find some comfort there**_

He looked down at her broken form and said, "It will be fine..."

_-Hold her closer when she cries, hold her closer whens he feels. She needs a hand to hold, someone who will never let her go again- Blessed Union of Souls_

* * *

**SONG USED: 'Angel' by Sarah McLachlan. **

**Sorry it's short. But I hope you enjoyed it. **

**Until then,**

**Sayonara!**

**NEW RULE:**

**Any chapter less than 10 reviews = will not think about updating. **


	9. Ch 9: Pictures and a day with Naruto

**GOMEN NASAI(I'm very sorry)!**

**I know I haven't updated this story since...a month...but I had a writer's block on this story.**

**O_O'**

**My updates will be slow on this story for a while(until the wheels for this story start turning again). I hope this chapter makes up for the long wait...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Inuyasha.**

**Warning: Some Sakura bashing. I'll see how it goes.**

**-AU so however the story goes, IT GOES LIKE THAT…**

**Main Summary: After friends and family are killed, Kagome dies and is reborn into the Naruto world; but with some deadly secrets. She attends the Ninja academy and joins team 7 as a new life begins for her. But what happens when everything from Kagome's past returns for her…? AU**

**Pairing: Sasuke/Kagome**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 9**

"Stand a little ways to the left."

"MOVE IT!"

There was a smack sound.

"Sakura!" a whine.

Kagome rolled her eyes. Sakura was peeved off since Naruto was standing in front of her. Naruto rubbed his head with anime tears in his eyes as he continue to nurse the bump on his head.

There was a man with a camera standing a few feet away, directing them. He moved his hand to the left and said, "Okay, kid. Move a little to your left." Naruto moved. "Perfect." the man said.

Sakura looked at Sasuke with googly eyes. "Sasuke, want to stand next to me in the picture?"

Sasuke gave her a creeped out look. He said in a stoic tone, "No." Sakura whined pathetically.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Kagome growled in annoyance. "Sakura, shut up."

Sakura glared at her. "Don't tell me to shut up!" she screeched.

Kagome rubbed her temples with her fingers. "God, you're giving me a headache. You're like a screaming banshee."

Sakura held up a fist. Kakashi sweatdropped and said quickly, "Calm down. Let's not ruin our team photo today, now."

Since the whole team had completed their first mission, they were officially qualified to take a team picture.

Sakura 'hmph'ed. She looked at Kakashi, then to the cameraman and whined, "Can't we just keep her out of the picture? Seriously it would-"

Naruto shot her a glare. "Sakura." Naruto was way over Sakura.

Sakura then added, "And Naruto, too."

Bitch.

Kilala hissed at Sakura as Naruto whined. Sasuke rolled his eyes, listening to Sakura make herself look bad. Kagome sighed deeply.

"I wish we could just hurry up and get it over with..." Kagome muttered to Sasuke, and he nodded.

They would all rather be somewhere else rather than around pinkie.

The cameraman sweatdropped and then said, "Alright...you there, stand next to the blonde boy."

Sakura sneered, "Yeah, Kagome!"

The cameraman shook his head. "Not her, you." Sakura's face fell. Kagome smirked at her expression. "Move next to the blonde boy." The man told Sakura. She whined, "But-"

Kakashi then said, "Just do it, Sakura." Kakashi wasn't in the mood to deal with arguements. He was tired.

Sakura reluctantly moved next to Naruto. The man said, "Good." He looked over at Kakashi. "You stand in the back."

Kakashi stood behind Naruto and Sakura.

"Then, you stand right next to pinkie." He pointed to Kagome. She shrugged and stood next to Sakura. Kagome was aware of the fact that Sakura was glaring at her, but she didn't care.

Finally, Sasuke stood next to Kagome.

"Alright, ready?"

Naruto called out, "Why does that teme have to be in the picture?" Sasuke looked at him and said, "I should say the same thing about you, dobe."

Naruto sent a glare at Sasuke, saying, "Why you-!" At that moment, Kilala jumped on Naruto's head and made him say "Hey!" Kilala grew a fond for Naruto's bushy blonde hair.

"1, 2, 3!"

A flash from the camera.

Their picture was taken.

Everyone slumped and they muttered, "Finally..." in relief.

Then, the cameraman said, "Raven haired guy and girl. Let's get a picture of both of you."

Sasuke and Kagome lifted their heads slightly in confusion. "Huh?" They stuttered out at the same time.

"Come on, you two look good together."

Kagome and Sasuke blushed a little, but it was unnoticed since they kept their straight face. Sakura's eye twitched.

Sakura screeched, "I SHOULD BE IN THAT PICTURE WITH SASUKE! SHE'S NO GOOD FOR HIM!"

Naruto clamped a hand over her mouth, and she struggled while flailing her arms, as he grinned like an idiot at Sasuke and Kagome, teasing, "Come on! You know you guys want to!"

Sasuke sent him a death glare telling him to 'shut up' telepathically.

Kakashi grinned under his mask and said, "Take the picture, you two."

Finally, after a few screams of protest from Sakura and encouragement from everyone else, Sasuke and Kagome stood next to each other in front of the camera.

They both looked at each other and wondered how they were going to take it.

There were many obvious ways, but they weren't that close...

Sasuke hovered an arm around her shoulder as Kagomes went over his, but they withdrew thinking it wasn't good. They shifted around uncomfortably, trying to find the best position.

Then, they dropped their hands.

Kagome shrugged and said, "I don't think this is going to work."

Sasuke responded, "Let's just take the picture like this."

"Okay."

The cameraman shrugged and said, "Okay, then. 1..."

Sasuke shifted a little closer to Kagome.

"2..."

Kagome shifted closer to Sasuke.

"3..."

Kagome felt something on her hand and a flash from the camera went off. Then, whatever on her hand was released and the cameraman said, "Not bad. I'll have these pictures copied and sent to you."

Kakashi said, "Thank you."

The cameraman gathered his stuff and left them.

Naruto called out. "KAGOME!" Kagome flinched slightly at the loudness of his voice. She looked at him and asked, "Yes?"

Naruto grabbed her arm and said, "Come with me to get something to eat!"

Kagome blinked a few times unsure. She peered over her shoulder at Sasuke before saying, "Okay, Naruto-kun..."

She let out a small yelp as her arm was immediately pulled and he dragged her away.

Kagome asked as they ran, "Where are we going?"

Naruto smiled, "To my favorite place out of the whole city!"

Kagome blinked.

* * *

A bowl of ramen was placed in front of Kagome.

Kagome, sitting on a stool with her hands in her lap, stared at the bowl with slight disgust.

"Ramen?" She asked.

Naruto, who sat next to her and just recieved his ramen, said, "Yup! Ramen is my favorite."

Kagome looked at him with a queasy look. "Naruto, I told you, I don't like ramen."

Naruto sighed. He scratched his head with a bashful smile. "How long has it been since you've had ramen?"

Kagome stiffened and looked at her steaming bowl. She seemed to take interest of the contents of her dish rather than looking at Naruto at that moment.

She finally responded after a long moment, "Years..."

Naruto's eyes shot open. He nearly yelled out, "YEARS? How could you deprive yourself of such a wonderful thing?"

Kagome shrugged. 'Ramen just makes me remember...of my old days. The taste...it's so familiar...'

Naruto then said, "Oh well, I tried..." and he started eating his ramen.

Kagome watched in slight amusement as Naruto chugged down his ramen quickly. He didn't seem to be chewing his food, only stuffing himself like a goose being stuffed to make foie gras.

She then looked at her soup disdainfully. The steam hit her nostrils and she sniffed, and noticed how good it smelled for the first time she could remember.

Then, she picked up her chopsticks. Naruto's attention was caught as he had some ramen piled in his mouth with some noodles hanging out of his lips.

Kagome took a piece of ramen with the chopsticks and held it up in front of her, the long noodle looking like a waterfall as a part of the noodle stayed in the soup.

Kagome stared at it as if it was something foreign.

Then, she slowly brought the noodle to her lips and took a bite of it.

Naruto held his breath after he swallowed his food, waiting for her response. Does she like it? Or hate it, still?

No, she doesn't necessarily hate ramen. Just...prefers not to eat it for personal reasons.

Kagome smacked her lips lightly a few times, tasting the tangy flavor.

Then, she took another chunk of ramen and started stuffing herself more than Naruto.

Naruto's mouth hung as he watched her chow down her ramen faster than he could.

She finished her bowl in less than 2 minutes.

Naruto said after that little episode he saw, "You have quite an appetite for someone who hates ramen."

Kagome looked at him. "I don't hate ramen."

Naruto's eyes slightly widened.

Kagome gave a small smile. "I love it."

Naruto gave a wide grin and exclaimed, "I knew it! No one could ever hate ramen!"

What happened next shocked Naruto the most.

Kagome had giggled. Having a hand over her mouth, she giggled out of his exclaim.

Naruto stared at her blankly as she starting eating another bowl of ramen.

Kagome blinked as she looked at Naruto momentarily, catching his gaze and seeing his expression.

He suddenly slapped a hand to her forehead, checking her temperature. He placed his hand on her left cheek, then right, then her temple. Kagome sighed annoyingly. "Having fun?"

Naruto said as he kept patting her face, "Do you have a fever?"

Kagome raised a brow. Then, she slapped his hand away and said, "Knock it off."

Naruto exclaimed, "Are you sure you aren't sick?"

Kagome retorted calmly, "No." She crossed her arms. "Why would you say that?"

Naruto scratched his temple and said, "Well, you smiled and you giggled at me. Like a real girl."

Kagome's eyebrow twitched. Naruto held his hands up defensively as he exclaimed, "I-I mean, I've never seen you do that before! Honest!"

Kagome sighed and continued to eat her ramen. Naruto straightened up in his seat and added, "It's just a little weird seeing you express laughter for the first time."

"Oh, so I can't have emotions too?"

"No! I'm just saying-"

"Whatever."

"Kagome! I'm sorry!"

"It's fine." Kagome smiled. She patted his shoulder in a friendly way and went back to her food.

Naruto blinked dumbly at her. He placed a hand to her forehead once again, and she pushed his hand back, saying, "Quit it!"

"KAGOME-CHAN, YOU'RE SICK! I JUST KNOW IT!"

Kagome pushed him off his seat, making him yelp, and he crashed to the ground. Kagome stared at him on the floor. She turned back to her food and muttered, "You asked for it..."

Naruto jumped up and rid the pain by shaking his head. He rubbed a small lump on his head, muttering "Ow..."

He jumped back in his seat, still rubbing his head. "Kagome? Can I ask you something?"

Kagome nodded. Naruto asked, a little hesitant at first, "Does this mean...we're really friends?" She looked at him. Then, she slowly smiled. "Of course."

Naruto pumped a fist in the air and yelled, "YES!"

He sat down and then said, "By the way. Please try not to weird me out."

Kagome turned her head towards him, and gave him a blank stare. Then, she pushed him off his chair again and turned around, as he muttered once again from the floor, "Ow..."

"Hn. Not surprised to see you here on the floor, dobe."

Naruto looked up and said, "Sasuke-teme!"

Kagome turned her head towards Sasuke.

Sasuke raised a brow. "What are you doing on the floor?" he asked Naruto monotonously.

Naruto got up, still rubbing his head. He pointed at Kagome, "She pushed me!"

Kagome shrugged. Sasuke took a seat next to her. Sasuke asked quietly, "Are you doing okay?"

It was weird for Sasuke to ask a question like that to anyone, but Kagome was the only one he cared about.

Kagome responded quietly, "Just fine."

"Hn."

Naruto placed an arm around both their shoulders as he exclaimed, "So, what are you guys talking about here?"

They both froze and turned to him. "Nothing." Kagome said. Naruto shrugged and said, "It's always great to have friends there for you."

Kagome looked at Sasuke and smiled a little. "Yeah...it is."

Then, Sasuke did the unexpected, which only Kagome noticed.

He smiled.


	10. Ch 10: Cat with a memory of an elephant

**I hope this chapter makes up for the long absence of updating this story. If not….SOOOOO SORRY!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto. **

**Warning: Some Sakura bashing. I'll see how it goes.**

**-AU so however the story goes, IT GOES LIKE THAT…**

**Main Summary: After friends and family are killed, Kagome dies and is reborn into the Naruto world; but with some deadly secrets. She attends the Ninja academy and joins team 7 as a new life begins for her. But what happens when everything from Kagome's past returns for her…? AU**

**Pairing: Sasuke/Kagome**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

"Naruto?" Kagome asked as she walked with Naruto , Sasuke, and Kilala. Naruto looked at her.

"Yes, Kagome-chan?" he said.

Kagome smiled.

"Can we go to Ichiraku Ramen again?" Kagome asked with a mischevious grin. Naruto's eyes widened momentarily, but then shook it off and then exclaimed,

"This is the 7th time this week you've asked me this!"

Sasuke raised a brow. He thought Kagome hated ramen, or so he's heard her say. He didn't realize she had been eating ramen, let alone, spending time with Naruto.

"So?"

"You're making me blow all my money off everytime we go there." Naruto said grimly.

"I'm using my money as well!" Kagome protested. It's good to know she was acting more happier than usual.

"Still!"

"Please?"

Naruto gave in, seeing the pleading look in Kagome's eyes.

"Okay!" Naruto said. Kagome grabbed his arm and dragged Naruto along, and looked back.

"Sasuke! C'mon!" Kagome called out, snapping Sasuke out of his thoughts.

"Hn." He followed them.

Kilala mewed on Kagome's shoulder, and jumped off. She mewed to Kagome a few times, as if she was asking something.

Kagome smiled and said,

"You can go, Kilala. Just don't get lost."

Kilala mewed and ran off, not transforming into her larger form and scaring the townsfolk that walked by.

Kilala wagged her tail as she came up to the house. She nudged the half-open screen with her muzzle and opened it, running inside.

She went up to Kagome's room and searched under her bed. She stuck her nose in one of the bags and looked around for something.

She found what she was looking for as she dragged the item out.

Canned tuna. Her favorite.

She picked it up with her mouth and ran outside to the forest, hoping to enjoy some quiet time.

When she got far enough, she used her claws to tear open the container. She mewed in satisfaction, seeing the tuna in the can fully exposed to consuming. So she did.

Kilala licked and bit into the tuna, purring at its taste. She licked the can clean in just a matter of minutes.

Her ears perked and she looked up and around the area. Her large cat eyes blinked a few times, her eyes landing upon some leveled land in the distance.

She got up and walked over to the area, taking no heed to the littered can.

She walked through a group of trees and came to a large area.

The well. It was still there.

Because of the plantation that had grown over the years they, her and Kagome, never ever could seem to find it.

Kilala walked up to the well and jumped onto the ledge. She looked at the bottom of the well, trademark bones sitting at the bottom; thus its name 'The bone-eaters well'.

Kilala mewed sadly and sat on the edge, expecting anyone she knew to climb out of it and greet her. But she knew better, because Kagome and…Inuyasha…were the only ones who were able to enter through it with the power of the Shikon Jewel.

The Shikon Jewel was still in question…

What ever happened to it?

A pure wish wasn't granted with it, and so it never disappeared. Its power just transported Kagome to the past to start over in life again…

Kilala yawned of boredom.

Kilala turned her head down to the well again, staring at it intently.

* * *

_Kilala purred as Sango rubbed her back affectionately as she sat on her master's lap. They were sitting in Kaede's hut, waiting for the arrival of Kagome. _

_She should've been back by now. _

"_Kagome isn't here, yet…where is she?" Sango asked Miroku next to her. _

"_Like you, I'm curious about where she is as well." he replied. Miroku's gaze averted outside the hut. "It isn't like her to be this late. I'm sure Inuyasha is worried for her, as well." _

_Kilala mewed and stood up in Sango's lap instantly, sensing something. She ran out the door and Sango shot up, running after her.  
_

"_Kilala! What's wrong?"_

_Kilala was aware of her master's cry, but she kept running her destination. Soon enough, she arrived to it. _

_The bone eater's well. Kilala picked up on a scent. _

_Kagome. _

_She was back. _

_Kilala jumped onto the edge of the well and looked down it. The said-girl climbed the wall of the well. Her movements were sluggish and slow, making Kilala curious as she tilted her head. She was also curious about the fact that she didn't her large bag like she always did whenever she came back._

_She mewed, catching Kagome's attention. _

_Kilala's eyes widened, seeing Kagome's expression. It wasn't happy as Kilala always had seen Kagome. _

_She looked troubled. Kilala noticed a glimmer on her cheeks. _

_Was it…tears? _

_Kilala heard Sango and Miroku arrive, calling for her. But they stopped, possibly seeing Kagome._

"_Kagome-sama! You've returned!" _

"_Kagome! Where've you been? We were so worried for you, and-Kagome?" Kilala heard Sango pause. _

_Kilala saw the tension between the miko and the demon-slayer. Sango had a worried expression on her face, where Kagome had a melancholic(for reason unknown, since she had just arrived). _

_Kilala looked back and forth between them curiously. _

"_Kagome-chan? Are you okay?" Sango asked, noticing the dried tears on Kagome's cheeks. Kilala mewed in distress at seeing the tears. _

_Miroku, now realizing this, straightened up and asked,_

"_Kagome-sama? Is something troubling you?" _

_Kagome's eyes widened and she shut them tightly. She let out a whimper, making them all curious. _

_Shippo entered from the side and Kilala heard him run over. _

"_KAGOME! I MISSED YOU!" Shippo cried and launched himself at her. _

"_SHIPPO, DON'T—"Sango and Mirkou both protested at the same time, but was cut short as Shippo landed on Kagome. _

_Shippo laughed and hugged Kagome, unaware of the fact that Kagome looked and felt sad. _

_Kilala mewed loudly at Shippo, catching his attention. _

_Shippo blinked at Kilala a few times. _

"_Kilala? What is it?" Shippo asked the two-tailed neko curiously. _

_Kilala mewed and nudged her head towards Kagome. _

_Shippo didn't know what Kilala meant, until his gaze drifted up to Kagome's face; making him freeze slightly. _

"_Kagome? What's wrong?" _

_Kagome lowered her head, shielding her eyes. Shippo got off her lap and stood next to her as she got off the edge of the well and slumped to her knees on the ground. _

"_OI! WENCH! WHERE'VE YOU BEEN?" Inuyasha's voice rang out. _

_Inuyasha jumped in to the side, an angry expression on his face. _

_He folded his arms inside his sleeves and said, "You should've been here an hour ago, wench! What the hell were you doing over there?" _

"_INUYASHA!" Shippo cried angrily, knowing this wasn't the time for him to insult her. _

"_What's with you, runt? I'd oug—" Inuyasha started, but was cut off by Sango. _

"_INUYASHA. Not now." She hissed. _

_Inuyasha looked at her, and then looked at Kagome on the ground. Instantly, his expression softened._

"_Kagome…?" He asked curiously, sniffing something salty. _

_Kilala rubbed her head against Kagome's arm, hoping she would respond. _

_Kagome slowly raised her head and everyone gasped at her. _

_Her eyes were red and puffy, as if she had been crying. _

_Sure enough, it seems like she had been. _

_She suddenly stood up and launched herself forward. Sango, by instinct, ran towards her and caught her in her arms. _

_Kagome suddenly started to sob into Sango's chest uncontrollably, everyone else not knowing why._

"_Kagome, what happened?" Sango asked, this time in a more worried tone. _

"_They're gone…t-they're all gone…" She cried. Inuyasha's eyes widened._

"_Who?" he asked. _

_Kagome said nothing but cried louder. _

_Sango rubbed her back in circles, trying to comfort the girl held tightly in her arms as much as possible, and trying to console her. _

"_Who, Kagome-chan? Who's gone?" She asked the crying girl. _

_Kagome shook violently and said, _

"_My family…they're dead. All dead." _

_Everyone gasped in shock. _

_Kilala's eyes widened and she mewed._

* * *

Kilala mewed and jumped off the ledge, walking away.

* * *

_Kilala entered the hut and saw Inuyasha embracing Kagome tightly. She was quiet as she watched them. _

"_Kagome…I'm so sorry." Inuyasha said, holding her tighter. _

"_It's…okay. I'll be fine." Kagome responded._ "_Besides, it's not like I'm ever going back to my home, anyway. I've got nothing left over there." _

_She pulled away and stared into his eyes and smiled, despite she was still crying. _

"_I still have you, Sango, Miroku, Kaede, Shippo…even Kilala." She looked over at Kilala at the last part and smiled. Kilala, surprised at the fact Kagome found her, ran up and jumped into Kagome's arms, mewing._

_Kagome pet Kilala, and Kilala purred in delight; happy Kagome was feeling somewhat better. _

_Inuyasha rubbed Kilala's head and muttered, "Good cat…" _

_Kagome smiled and hugged Inuyasha again, him returning the hug without hesitation, with Kilala between them._

_Kilala heard Inuyasha say, _

"_Kagome, I promise, I won't leave you. I'll always protect you…" _

"_Thanks, Inuyasha." Kagome said. _

_Kilala mewed happily._

* * *

Kilala spotted the Goshinboku and stopped, staring at it. She blinked and sat down facing it, never taking her eyes off the tree.

She looked at the large roots, then up the bark, then to the leaves. The light of the afternoon shined through the leaves. The small spots of light surrounded Kilala, not as dominant as its shade that covered Kilala's small form.

She looked at the small patch of flowers between her and the tree. It was nice.

* * *

_Kilala's ears perked from her nap and she raised her head, sniffing a new scent. She stood and ran out of the hut, transforming into her larger form; incase of danger of where she was going. _

_She ran into the woods and searched for the source of the scent. _

_She recognized one scent. Inuyasha. _

_The other scent reeked of bones and clay. _

_Kilala growled. Hell no. _

_Inuyasha better not be with Kikyo. Kilala always disliked Kikyo, because she was the reason why Inuyasha couldn't fully love Kagome, making him break Kagome's heart too many times. _

_Kilala finally spotted some soul-stealers and some small lights held in its claws, indicating another soul was being taken to…_

_Kikyo. _

_The soul entered the undead-priestess as it flew beside her. _

_Kikyo was, indeed, there. Inuyasha was standing a few feet in front of her. They seemed locked in a staring contest. _

_Kilala, like Kagome would usually do, hid behind a tree and watched whatever might happen between them. _

"_Inuyasha…are you ready to join me in Hell?" Kikyo asked. Kilala's eyes widened. _

"_Kikyo…Naraku is still alive, and the Shikon Jewel shards are still out there." Inuyasha replied, Kilala noticing he was confused. _

"_I do not wish to wait any longer." Kikyo replied_

_Kilala heard enough. Inuyasha was supposed to be Kagome at her time of pain, and here he was, with Kikyo. _

_Kilala slipped away and as quietly as she could, went back to the village._

* * *

Kilala continued to stare at the Goshinboku, thinking back on what happened after in sadness.

Things had gotten bad...

* * *

_Kilala found Kagome in the hut and caught her attention with a small roar, since she was still in her larger form. _

_Kagome looked at her and asked, "What is it, Kilala?"_

_Kilala roared a little and nudged her head outside, indicating her to follow. Kagome, sure enough, did. _

_Kagome got on Kilala's back, and Kilala ran into the forest. _

"_Kilala! Where're you taking me?" Kagome cried a little. _

_Kilala roared and slowed down, getting closer to the destination. _

_Kagome must've noticed the area as well, because her eyes were averted upwards, where she could see some soul-stealers. _

_Kagome got off Kilala and hid behind a tree in the clearing. _

_She gasped quietly, seeing Inuyasha with Kikyo. _

"_Well? Are you not wanting to join me in Hell, right now?" Kikyo pressed. _

"_Kikyo…I'm not sure …" Inuyasha said quietly. _

"_I thought you loved me." Kikyo stated simply. _

"_I do." _

_Kagome didn't want to hear anymore. She'd heard enough. _

_She pet Kilala's head and took a step forward, her shoe stepping on a branch and making a 'crack' sound. _

_Inuyasha whipped his head at the direction of the sound in shock. His eyes widened, seeing Kagome and Kilala step out. _

_Kilala growed at Inuyasha accusingly, and Kagome just pet her head. _

_Kagome stared at him with disappointment, and hurt. Her eyes were watery. _

"_So…even when I'm in pain, you still go to her." Kagome stated sadly. _

_Inuyasha took a step forwards and protested, _

"_Kagome, I-" _

_Kilala roared dangerously at Inuyasha's step. Inuyasha flinched, seeing Kilala going against him, just like the first time they met. _

_Inuyasha looked at Kagome and said, _

"_Kagome, it's not what you think."_

"_You're right, because this isn't what I think. This is the conversation that's happening before you're going to do what I think. You're going to go to Hell with Kikyo, I know. I just came to the preliminary." Kagome stated coldly. _

"_Kagome—" _

"_FORGET IT, INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed suddenly, making him withdraw. _

"_I'm SICK of hearing you lie to me like this!" Her voice quieted down, rage still evident in her eyes. "Just forget it. Don't say anything, anymore…because I'm tired of listening to you. Tired of you hurting me like this…I loved you…" _

_The past tense 'love' hit Kilala's ears. Kagome had loved Inuyasha, but at this point, she didn't love him, anymore…_

"_Listen to me!" Inuyasha raised his voice slightly, getting angry. Kagome fired back 10 times louder,  
_

"_NO, __**YOU**__ LISTEN! I'M SICK OF PUTTING UP WITH YOUR SHIT! YOUR INSULTS! YOU WANT TO GO TO HELL WITH KIKYO AND LEAVE ME AND EVERYONE ELSE? GO RIGHT AHEAD! BECAUSE, NOW, I DON'T EVEN CARE IF YOU __**DO **__GO TO HELL WITH HER!"_

_Kagome jumped on Kilala and the transformed cat took off back to the village. _

_Kilala heard Inuyasha's voice ring out,  
_

"_KAGOME, WAIT!"_

_It was too late, now. _

_Kilala felt a hand pet her head, and Kagome's voice saying, _

"_Thanks, Kilala…I don't know what I would do without you…"_

* * *

Kilala mewed sadly and hung her head low.

"Kilala!"

Her ears perked. Her head shot up and she looked behind, hearing Kagome's call.

"Kilala! Where are you?"

Kilala knew she had to go back to Kagome. She didn't want to worry her.

The neko heard a new voice with he highly-sensitive ears.

"KAGOME-CHAN! I can't believe you blew off all off our money at the ramen shop!"

"I know! But I couldn't help it!"

Kilala looked at the Goshinboku momentarily. She got up and walked away, sparing no last glance to it.

She came up to Kagome, who stared on her with a scolding expression. Kilala blinked at her, confused.

Kagome held out something, and Kilala's eyes widened.

Her empty tuna can.

"Kilala...did you leave this out on the ground and not dispose it?" She asked.

Kilala mewed nervously.

Busted.

* * *

**Kilala sure has a big memory...**

**NEW RULE:  
**

**Any chapter less than 10 reviews = will not think about updating. **


	11. Author's note

**This is not a chapter. Do not expect one. **

**I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just posting this to tell all those who keep reviewing for me to update to stop. Telling me to do that will not get me to continue this story. If you don't bother to check my profile, it says that this story is discontinued. It's been like that for almost a year now. I have no inspiration to continue this story and I don't know if I'll ever get it back. **

**It makes me guilty and depressed when you guys tell me to update, when I have no motivation to write it at all. Maybe in the far far future I will maybe get the inspiration, but right now: it's not there. **

**So don't review telling me to update. I simply cannot. If this continues, I might just take down the story completely. **

**I'm sorry if I've upset you. **

**Sincerely,**

**- Authoress Soldier's Requiem**


	12. AN 2: Adopted!

**Anyone who's still interested in this story, it's been adopted by ShugoCharaAmu123. Check out their profile and you should find the story there up already.****  
**


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